Never let Go
by PentoPaperGal18
Summary: Sequel to Silent, yet Heard! It's been two months since the trial, and now Ezra has officially become a part of the small family. But when a mysterious stranger from Ezra's past appears, Kanan, Hera, and the others may have to fight to keep their youngest member. Rated T to be cautious.
1. Chapter 1

Yes, finally, after all this time, it's finally ready. The first chapter of Never let Go, the sequel to Silent, yet Heard! Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

"Hera!"

The woman had hardly entered the front door before Ezra flung himself at her, almost knocking the both of them onto the floor. He eagerly dangled a sheet of paper in front of her face.

"Look, I got a B on my math test!"

Kanan, trailing a little bit slower behind the boy, laughed.

"Careful, don't let it go to your head." He teased.

Ezra acted abashed at his words. But as he stepped aside to let Kanan greet his wife with a small peck to the cheek, he stuck his tongue out in the man's direction. Hera bit back a smile at the boy's childish reaction. She pulled away from her spouse.

"So how did the rest of the day go?"

"Pretty good, I guess." Ezra shrugged. "That club meeting wasn't too great, but I did meet another homeschooled kid. His name was Zare, I think." He then perked up.

"Hey, what time is it?"

"Time?" Hera checked her watch. "It's almost two-thirty. Why?"

Ezra hopped impatiently on one foot as he explained. "Sabine promised to teach me how to teach me how to do graffiti painting today after she got back from school. She said she might even help me paint something over my bedpost in my room. If it was alright with you guys." He added quickly at her look.

"It is going to be so much fun. I can't wait!"

Hera gave him a sympathetic look. "You do realize that she has homework to do before anything else, do you? And she might not finish until it's time for dinner?" She pointed out.

Ezra looked disappointed at first, but then shrugged it off.

"That's okay. I can wait.''

"You just said you couldn't." Kanan pointed out, grinning as he ruffled the messy mop of hair. Ezra swatted his hand away and tried to look serious. The small curve of his lips gave away his amusement.

"You know what I meant!"

Kanan chuckled, and even Hera let out a small laugh.

"Zeb should be back from the university any time now. Either of you boys willing to lend a hand and help on supper?"

"I will." Ezra said eagerly. Hera grinned at him.

"What are we waiting for? Let's get started then."

….

It had been almost two months since Ezra's birthday. Two months since they had decided to adopt Ezra. And for the young boy, he could easily say that they had been among the best days of his life.

It didn't take too long for him to settle into a comfortable routine in his new home, and the members inside. Kanan, Hera, and the others had made it as easy as possible for him, welcoming him with open and loving arms, yet at the same time giving him space for adjustment. It was something he appreciated. While he treasured the fact that someone cared for him, it was at times overwhelming, being surrounded by so many people that actually cared for him after so many years on his own.

Knowing that Ezra would be behind his peers, Kanan and Hera decided to homeschool Ezra. Since Hera had recently found a job as a supervisor, Kanan was left in charge of his education. To say the least, it had been…interesting. But despite their struggles with the work, Ezra found that he enjoyed the one on one time with his adoptive parent.

His relationships with both Zeb and Sabine had also grown stronger. Sabine had become the big sister he never had. They spent most of their free time together, drawing, playing card games, and laughing at the other's antics.

Zeb, in his gruff way, had become his partner in crime. Despite trying to pretend that he didn't want him around, Ezra found himself tagging along with Zeb on many occasions. And sometimes, when Zeb wasn't busy, he would take him outside and play ball with him. Even though they constantly fought, Ezra knew that the older boy had his back. He knew they all did.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Ezra realized he had paused in his task. He hurried to finish setting the table. Hera glanced up at him as she stirred the pot of sauce.

"What, did I do something?" She asked. She checked her face and hair to make sure that there wasn't anything on her.

Ezra hadn't even realized that he was grinning.

"Nope, just thinking." He replied. She raised an eyebrow questionably at that.

"Care to fill me in?"

Ezra hesitated, then shook his head. He wanted to, but he didn't know how to word what tingled in his chest, the feeling of gratitude and warmth and just simply belonging. He didn't know how to tell her how grateful he was. How because of them, he would never have to worry about being abused or living alone ever again. Of course, she most likely already knew that.

Instead, he settled for simply flashing her one of his brightest smiles and continued setting down the silverware.

….

Later that evening, once the two older children had returned from school and the food prepared. The entire family sat down to eat. As she filled her plate, Sabine began to excitedly tell them about her school art project.

"We're supposed to sketch an object from nature." She explained as she stuck a fork of potatoes past her lips. She started to speak through her full mouth, but a stern look from her mother stopped her. She chewed and swallowed before continuing.

"It can be anything. Trees, grass, a rock. The important thing is to add depth and make it look interesting and eye-catching." She frowned, lost in thought.

"The only problem is, I have no idea what to draw. Maybe a leaf?" Her tone clearly revealed her lack of enthusiasm at the thought.

"How about you go to the park?" Hera suggested. "You might find something there." Sabine perked up at that the thought.

"Great idea."

Ezra looked up from his plate at her mention of the park.

"Can I go too?" He asked. His eyes were wide and hopeful, pleading for permission. Hera pursed her lips as though in thought. She looked across the table at Kanan.

"Well, what do you think love?"

Kanan pretended to ponder the question. "Well, I don't know…"

"Pleeease?" The youth looked like a puppy begging for scraps. Kanan finally broke down and chuckled at the almost pitiful sight.

"Alright. But only if Zeb goes with you."

The man in question groaned as Ezra turned and pleaded with him instead, complaining about his weekend plans being cut short(To which Sabine replied that his plans normally involve sleeping, so a trip to the park would actually be good for him).

Finally, after several minutes of constant pleading from the younger boy. Zeb agreed to accompany them. Ezra and Sabine grinned at each other across the table. Hera smiled gently at the sight. Kanan chuckled. Despite the fact that they were not biologically related, there was no doubt that they were siblings. And he was proud to call this family his own.

...

Sabine scanned the park once more before collapsing onto the bench. She sat her backpack next to her. Opening it, she pulled out her sketchbook and pencil case. She pulled her feet onto the seat so her thighs worked as a support for her book. Her pencil scratched against the paper.

Zeb, plopped down next to her. She yelped as the bench shook. She twisted to glare at him.

"Careful Zeb, You almost messed me up." She growled.

He ignored her scolding. He propped his arms on the back rest of his seat and leaned back, yawning.

Ezra remained standing, eyes darting around the sunlit scenery. He looked in the direction of the pond to see several ducks, swimming lazily in the water. His eyes lit up. He tugged at Zeb's arm and pointed.

"I'm going over there, okay?" He then took off before his adoptive brother could reply.

"Hey...wait, kid!" The boy was already too far away to hear. Zeb growled.

"I swear, he..." He started to raise himself up.

"Oh, let him go." Sabine said, not even bothering to raise her eyes from her sketchbook.

"It's not like you can't see him from here. The kid'll be fine."

He huffed, setting back down into his seat. "Better be. Don't want to explain to Kanan and Hera how we managed to lose him once we get back."

Ezra, meanwhile, had reached the pond. He settled down onto the grass next to the water. He propped his elbows on his knees, watching the small animals. The ducks all ignored him as they swam around in their small pool. All except one. A female, judging by the coloring of her feathers, swam up to the edge closest to him. She gazed at him expectantly.

Ezra grinned. He knew what she wanted. He shrugged off his pack and sat it on his lap. He reached in and pulled out the bagged lunch Hera had made him. He unwrapped the sandwich and pulled off the crust, then threw it to the small creature. It didn't even take a moment for the bread to disappear, and the duck to eye him pitifully. He shrugged and held out both hands in surrender.

"Look, I can't give you anymore, alright?" He said with a laugh.

The duck watched him a bit longer. Then, possibly deciding that he wasn't worth the effort, swam back over to her companions.

Ezra's smile grew wider. The scene reminded him of when he had first met Kanan and the others. After their first meeting with the lawyer Morad Sumer, they had come to this park to eat lunch. Ezra, like he was doing now, had fed the same ducks. Kanan had then joined in, throwing some fries in their direction.

He propped his chin in the palm of his hand. He gazed out across the pond, smiling as he thought of the last few months.

He became so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice someone approaching him from behind, or that they had come to a complete stop near him. It wasn't until he heard the low, steep breath exhale his name did he realize that he wasn't alone.

He jumped, startled. He turned around to see who it was. His jaw dropped.

"You?"

...

Sabine added one more line before casting an critical eye over the sketch. Satisfied with her efforts, she closed the book and turned to Zeb just as he started to raise out of his seat. She took one look at the murderous expression on his face, and she knew something was up.

"Zeb?" She grabbed his arm. "What is it?"

He growled. "The kid."

She immediately looked in the younger boy's direction. She relaxed at the sight. She shrugged.

"So what, he's just talking to some guy. It's not a big deal." She said.

"But look at the kid." Zeb insisted. "Something's not right."

Sabine sighed, but took a closer look. At first she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but she knew Zeb wasn't overly paranoid. If he said something wasn't right, then it must be true. It was then she saw it.

To a stranger, there was nothing in the scene that indicated something was off. But even from this distance, Sabine could see that Ezra's arms were crossed and his body ram rod straight. The younger teen only took this pose when he was upset or angry. And he never took it up without a reason.

Zeb was right. Something was very wrong.

Sabine was about to jump up and race over to the duo when Ezra turned. His back faced the man as he started over to their position.

The man shouted something at the youth. Sabine strained her ears, but couldn't make out a single word. Ezra apparently chose to ignore it.

When he reached the two, he cut them off before they could even began to question them.

"Can we go home now, please?" His hands were in his pockets, sneakers scuffing the ground. He refused to make eye contact.

"Kid, who was that guy?"

Ezra irritably ducked under Zeb's hand.

"No one, okay! Look, how about we just go home. We've been out long enough. Kanan and Hera will be wondering where we went." He scurried off toward the car.

"Zeb." The girl hissed as they trailed along after him.

"We told mom and dad that we wouldn't be back until three." She checked her watch. "It's not even one-thirty yet."

Zeb sighed. "I know. But I think it might be a good idea to head back anyhow. Whatever happened just then, I have a feeling that it can't be good.

And as much as she wished it wasn't so, Sabine agreed.

* * *

A/N To just get this off my chest, I have no clue how often I will be able to update this story. I tried to prewrite as much of this as possible, but I am in college. I do not have a major lot of time to spare to type this up. However, when I do update I will try to make up for it with extra long chapters :). Hope that makes up for it.

Also, since I know most of you will be wondering why Ezra doesn't call Kanan and Hera mom and dad, I have a reason for that. Even though they are legally his parents now and he is close to them, he's only known them for, like, three months at the point this story takes place. Now, it might just be me, but if I was in Ezra's shoes, I most likely would not feel comfortable with that. It would probably feel like he was trying to completely replace his parents if he just instantly started calling them that. Not to mention, his relationship with Kanan and Hera are just really in the beginning stages. But remember, this is just how I feel. Everyone has a different viewpoint on this ;). And I do not know much about adoption and foster care except what I read online and what several of my friends, who were adopted, told me.

Anyhow, let me know what you guys think of this chapter. Constructive criticism is always appreciated!


	2. Comfort and a Stranger

**Hey you all! Thanks for being so patient with the slow updates. This is actually coming up later than I intended, but oh well, that college for you. Anyhow, hope you all enjoy**

"Ezra, come on, suppers ready!" Hera called from the bottom of the stairs. A muffled, but still clear "not hungry" reached her ears. She sighed. She wasn't too surprised by the answer she received.

Ever since Ezra had returned with Sabine and Zeb from the park last Saturday, he had become more withdrawn. He was always in a sullen mood and stayed in his shared room with Zeb almost all the time. Nothing they had tried could coax him out of his shell. Kanan would have to practically drag the boy out and force him to eat just to prevent him from starving himself.

With another breath, Hera squared her shoulders and went outside to find Kanan.

Her husband was in the garage, helping Sabine with an art project when she entered. He looked up and frowned at her expression. He somehow knew what she was going to say.

"Still hasn't come out yet?" He visibly slumped when she shook her head. He breathed in deeply, then exhaled.

"Alright. I'll go talk to him." He wiped his palms on his jeans, forgetting the paint on his hands. Both his wife and daughter suppressed smiles at the blue streaks now covering his thighs. Kanan, unfortunately didn't notice, leaving the garage and heading toward the house.

Once Kanan reached the door to Ezra's room he paused. He straightened his posture, steeling himself for what he was about to do.

He hated being rough with the boy. Goodness knows the youth and led a cruel life, and while they couldn't make up for the seven years of neglect, it still didn't stop them from trying to show him all the love and affection they held for him.

But now, things were getting out of hand. Ezra was rapidly closing himself off from them, and it was growing worse by the day.

Kanan couldn't allow that to happen. Not after all they had done to get him to this point.

He tried the door, and, finding it unlocked, swung it open. Ezra was sitting on the bed, facing away from the door. He gave no indication of hearing the door open, though Kanan knew that wasn't true. Ezra was very perceptive when it came to his surroundings.

Kanan approached him silently. He perched on the edge of the mattress sitting on the crinkled blue coverlet that Ezra loved so well. He was just a foot away from the smaller, but he didn't try to close the distance. He didn't want the boy to feel cornered.

"Hera called for you." He said bluntly. He saw Ezra's slender shoulders tense as he spoke.

"I know." The normally vibrant voice was gone, replaced by only a shell of its former self. The child didn't move to face him.

"I answered her."

"But that's not the point." Kanan nervously ran his hand over his tied back strands.

"Kid, we need to talk."

Ezra bit his lip, grateful that the man couldn't see his face. Whenever Kanan said that, it normally meant that whatever he spoke next wouldn't be pleasant.

"You've been…off the past few days, young one." Kanan tried to keep his voice gentle. It still came out rougher than he would have liked it to, and Ezra flinched. He immediately softened his voice, but still continued.

"You hardly eat, you can't focus on your schoolwork, you hardly ever talk….this isn't like you. You have everyone worried about you."

"Be honest with me kid. What's wrong?"

Ezra was still for a long moment, as if comtemplanty his answer. Just when Kanan thought he would finally get the truth, the boy shook his head.

"Nothing's wrong." He muttered.

"Yeah right." Kanan moved off the sheets to kneel right next to the youth on one knee. He gripped the thin shoulders, squeezing them gently. Ezra kept his face turned away, trying to avoid his gaze. Kanan frowned.

"Look at me Ezra." When the child didn't he brought his hand up to grip his chin instead. He guided the small face in his direction. The boy attempted to pull out of his grasp. Kanan chided him with a small 'ah', finally succeeding in pulling the small face toward his own. The expression he saw created a heavy feeling in his chest.

Emotions were warring on Ezra's face. The boy's face was pale, and his eyes held…fear?"

"Ezra?"

The teen shook his head.

"I can't." He whispered. "I want to, but I can't. Please Kanan, don't make me." He shivered in the man's grip, even though the room was relatively warm.

"Please." That last word seemed to surp the energy from him. He slumped, head hanging.

If anything, Kanan was more concerned than he was before. What could possibly be tormenting his child so that he couldn't even tell his own guardian?

"Ezra…" He sighed. He slid his hands off the boy's shoulder, only to stand and enfold him in his arms instead. He was surprised when Ezra didn't push him away. In fact the boy sunk into the embrace, burying his face into his shoulder. His arms came up and wrapped around the man's waist tightly, as if Kanan was his only lifeline.

After a while Ezra pulled back, far too soon to Kanan's liking, and rubbed his face. While he still looked worried, the comfort he had just been offered seemed to help sooth his nerves.

"Kanan?" The man cocked an eyebrow to show he was listening. Ezra grinned sheepishly.

"Does Hera's offer of food still stand?"

Kanan threw back his head and laughed.

"Kid, if there's one thing you'll never have to worry about in this house, it's Hera not feeding you." He extended an hand and pulled the boy up onto his feet. He slung a companionable arm across his shoulders.

"While we're at it, let's see if we can beg some dessert off her too."

And for the first time in several days, Ezra gave a small yet genuine smile.

* * *

The rest of the afternoon passed by in a more pleasant atmosphere than the last few had been. While strain still showed in his eyes, Ezra did his best to interact with the others. He ate most of his supper for once, and sat down with Zeb and Sabine to work on puzzles until sundown, and, when everyone decided to watch a movie, argued with Zeb on which film to choose.

"Batman Begins!'

"No, Sword in the Stone!"

Curled up with Hera on the couch, Kanan sighed and rolled his eyes. His wife lifted her head off his shoulder slightly to give him a small smile.

"Well, that's what happens when you give the children the decision, love."

"And I am seriously starting to regret that now."He groaned, letting his head flop back onto the cushions. Hera laughed softly at that, resting her head back on his arm again. Ezra and Zeb didn't seem to hear, continuing to squabble over their choices.

"Seriously, that movie again? We just watched it last week!" Ezra stuck his tongue out at him.

"Oh yeah? Well, as I seem to recall, you..." A loud noise from the television made them both jump. They all turned to the sound.

Sabine turned away from the player, an empty dvd case in her hand. She shrugged at the looks sent her way.

"Well, Lilo and Stitch sounded pretty good to me."

Her adoptive siblings gaped at her in disbelief. Hera smiled at the sight, while Kanan chuckled.

After the movie ended, both adults ran the kids off to bed and Kanan went to shower. Hera remained in the living room, curling up in her favorite lounge chair to read.

She had just become engrossed in the plot when the doorbell rang. She reluctantly tore herself away from the novel to glance up at the clock. She frowned.

"Who are earth could that be at this hour?" She wondered out loud She placed the book down and went to see who it was.

The first thing that struck her when she opened the door was that this stranger was tall. He towered at least a foot and a half over her. At his height, he could even rival Zeb.

The second thing she noticed was his eyes. Deep, piercing blue eyes that looked almost uncannily like…

Hera gripped the doorframe for support. She swallowed the fear that crept up her throat before speaking.

"Can I help you?" Her voice came out sharper than she intended.

"I believe you can, actually." The stranger removed his hat. Pale blonde strands fell to frame an angular face.

"My name is Solomon and I'm here to see my nephew, Ezra Bridger."


	3. Memories and the Truth

**Hey yall, sorry for not updating for so long. College has been super stressful, and work has been even worse. I have been so stressed out and busy I've not had time to update. But don't worry, I hadn't forgotten you all. And this chapter is longer than normal, so hopefully that'll make up for it.**

 **I've read all of your reviews, and I have loved reading every single one. I love hearing what you all have to say. And congratulations to Midnight Luna for figuring out where I got the name Solomon from. Yes, I got the name from the Bible. It makes sense. We have a Ezra and a Kanan(Canaan), So why not have another Bible name? It makes sense to the Baptist girl at least :)**

 **Anyhow hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Hera stared at the man. There was so many things she wanted to say at that point (Where have you been for the last seven years of his life? Why now?), but shock had frozen her tongue to the roof of her mouth, preventing her from saying what was on her mind. So instead she stepped aside, allowing Solomon to enter the house. He did so with a nod of acknowledgement. He gazed around.

"You have a nice home, miss….."

"Jarrus." She had finally found her voice.

"Mrs. Jarrus." She led him to the living room.

"Have a seat. I will be back shortly." She then all but flew up the stairs to find her husband.

Her hand trembled as she reached to knock on the bathroom door. Just before her fist made contact it swung open, revealing Kanan. His damp hair was down from its usual ponytail and he had already changed into his sleepwear.

"Hey there. Have you been waiting out here all this time?" He teased with a smile. Hera didn't return it. His grin faltered when he realized something was up.

"Kanan, we have a visitor downstairs. He..." She swallowed painfully. "…Claims to be Ezra's uncle."

Kanan froze. His jaw hung open, but no sound escaped. Finally he managed to force out:

"What…how….I thought the kid had no other living relatives! Otherwise he wouldn't have been in foster care!"

"That's what I thought too, but there's no denying it Kanan. They look so much alike." She gripped his arm.

"Oh Kanan, what should we do?"

The man set his jaw. "I guess we go talk to him then." He wrapped an arm around her and gave a gentle squeeze, though Hera had a feeling that the hug was for his own benefit as much as hers.

"Come on, let's go."

The stranger stood as they entered. Hera could sense more than see Kanan's shock, and she knew why. Except for the blonde hair and the beginning stubble on his chin, this man could have been an older version of Ezra.

The man stuck out his hand. "How do you do, I'm Solomon Barren. I assume your wife told you why I'm here?"

"Yes, she did." Kanan grasped his hand gingerly. He was trying to act formal, but Hera could see right through him. His voice was clipped, his stance stiff.

"Shall we sit?" Hera and Kanan sat next to each other on the couch, while the man took the lounge chair. They sat in awkward silence for several long moments. Finally Solomon spoke.

"I understand you are most likely confused by my appearance. After all, this isn't exactly a common occurrence." He gave a small laugh. When he realized the couple wouldn't join him, he coughed and continued.

"I know what you're thinking. But I didn't intentionally abandon my nephew. You see…"

He was cut off by the sound of footsteps just outside the room, followed by a short whisper and a small laugh. Not even a moment later Zeb's head poked past the doorframe.

"Zeb?" Hera started to rise from her seat. "What are you doing up so late?"

The younger man rolled his eyes. "The kid can't sleep an' won't tell me why. I'd thought we'd just get something to drink and then go back to bed."

"Hey, it's not like it's a big deal." Ezra shouldered his way past the older boy.

"I just have a bad case of insomnia, That's all. It not like…"

Ezra froze. He blanched as he stared at the visitor. The man stood under his gaze.

"Hello, Ezra." The man spoke with a small smile. The boy watched him for a moment longer. Then his gaze hardened. Everyone was then shocked by the normally mild mannered boy's next two words.

"Get out."

Never had Kanan heard such fury in the child's voice, nor even thought him capable of such.

Solomon raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hold on Ezra. Listen to me…"

"No, you listen!" The boy stepped closer.

"You think you can just show up, after everything you've done, and just act like everything's okay!? I didn't want to believe what you said when I saw you at the park, but it looks like you meant it. Well, you already tried to take everything else away, you're not taking my new family too!"

Hera swung around to face their visitor.

"You were the one at the park?" Her voice had taken on a more dangerous edge. Sabine and Zeb had told both adults about Ezra speaking to a stranger at the park that day, and the woman had figured that the youth's recent attitude had stemmed from that encounter. She had known her child long enough to know he didn't hold grudges. Whatever had happened between Ezra and this man, must have been bad to get this reaction.

Solomon seemed to realize he wasn't wanted. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Alright, maybe this may not be the greatest time to discuss this." He picked up his hat, making a formal bow in their direction.

"I shall be back. Until then, have a good night." And with that, he left the room. He patted Ezra's shoulder as he passed him, only to have him flinch and glare in return.

The moment they heard the front door close Kanan spun around to Ezra.

"What just happened?" His voice was strained and stressed.

"Love." Hera placed a hand on his arm. When teal eyes met her own she inclined her head, indicating for him to calm down. He sighed, looking back at Ezra.

The teen had seemed to lose his fighting spirit. His body was slumped, his oversized sleep shirt slipping off one shoulder. Kanan felt his resolve breaking at the sight. He groaned, stepping forward and kneeling in front of the boy. He waited until the boy raised his bright blue orbs before he spoke.

"Kid, what happened just then?" He softened his voice.

Ezra broke eye contact. His hands nervously played with his long sleeve.

"He's my uncle." He stated finally. He studied the ground.

"He…I…" His throat closed up. He shook his head, unwilling to continue.

Hera came over and wrapped her arms around his bony frame. Her fingers gently buried themselves in her hair, combing through as she tried to sooth him.

"There now." She murmured, "Tell you what, how about we take up on that offer Zeb made and get something to drink first, okay?"

Ezra nodded. Her let her lead him toward the kitchen. Kanan followed the two. Zeb was also about to follow, but was stopped by a stern look sent his way. He sighed, heading for the staircase instead. Maybe he couldn't help Ezra at this point, but he could assist by staying out both parents' way.

Kanan bustled about, making coco while his wife sat Ezra down at the table. She then took a seat next to the boy. Ezra refused to look up, fiddling with his fingers. Hera stilled them by placing her own over his.

"Ezra." She started, "Talk to us. What just happened?" She saw him hesitate.

"We can't help you if you don't let us. Come on hun, what's going on?"

The youth raised his eyes up towards hers, then lowered them again. A hand soon appeared in his line of sight, placing a mug on the table in front of him. The youth glanced up at Kanan, who offered him a small smile. Ezra tried to return it, but it came out as more of a grimace. He picked up the mug and took a tentative sip. Almost instantly he relaxed, the sweet warmth soothing his frayed nerves.

Kanan sat on the youth's opposite side. As he drained his drink Ezra could feel the eyes of both adults upon him, silently asking the same question. He avoid their gazes, instead staring down into his cup. He took another swing, almost gagging as the hot liquid burned his tongue and the back of his throat. Hera rested her hand on his arm as he recovered. Still she and Kanan didn't speak, as if waiting for him to make the next move.

Finally Ezra broke the silence. Glaring down at the now empty cup he muttered,

"I…guess I should start at the beginning."

"That's always a good place to start," Hera said gently, trying to lighten the atmosphere weighing down on them.

Ezra's lips twitched at that. He finally looked up, flicking his focus between the two of them. He took a deep breath, then began to explain.

"He is-was-my mother's older brother, Solomon. My mom once told me that they were really close growing up. If she ever needed anything, he would do it for her.

"When my dad came along, the rest of my mom's family hated him. They thought that he was too straightforward in a lot of his ways. They tried to keep them apart, but my mom apparently went behind their backs and married him. They were mad and kicked her out of the family when they found out. I was just a kid when I heard this, so I don't remember everything my parents told me. But one day, just a few days before I turned seven, I think, my uncle showed up…"

* * *

Ezra laid on the kitchen floor. Crayons were scattered around him as he worked diligently on the coloring book his dad had given him a few days before. Behind him his mother worked on supper. She turned from the stove to smile at the sight. Ezra simply continued, oblivious to his mother's gaze.

Both heads shot up as the doorbell rang. Mira frowned.

"I wonder who that could be." She wiped her hands on a towel and went to see. Curious, Ezra laid his crayon down and scampered after her.

When Mira opened the door her son heard her gasp. Her posture straightened.

"Solomon?" Her voice trembled as she gripped the doorframe. Her lithe frame shook with shock.

The man stepped in off the porch to embrace her. She returned it with a shaky laugh of relief. She buried her face in his shoulder.

Confused, Ezra tugged at his mother's shirt. "Mommy, who is it?"

She laughed softly. She stepped back from the man's arms to scrub her misty eyes.

"Ezra sweetie, this is your uncle Solomon." She gently took his small hand, gently tugging him forward to greet the stranger.

Uncle? Ezra didn't even know he had one. He looked at the man. The man returned the look. He tried to smile, but it came out strained. Ezra immediately didn't like this man. He couldn't tell you why exactly. He just knew something was off.

Mira noticed and raised an eyebrow, but didn't make a comment. She stood back and opened the door wider.

"Come on in. There's so much to talk about."

They sat down at the kitchen table. Mira and Solomon sat on two opposite ends. Ezra stood by his mother, who seemed to sense his nervousness and opened her arms invitingly. He took the offer and crawled into her lap. She held him gently as she looked back up at the strange visitor.

"It's been so long I hardly know where to begin. How's mother?"

The man smiled at that. "She's doing well. Worried about you though. She was beginning to think you had died or ran away to another country, we hadn't heard from you for so long." He acted as though the child wasn't there.

"Well, I've been rather busy." She gestured to the child in her lap. He squirmed under the attention and dug his small fingers into her sleeve. She smiled fondly at him.

"Yes, I can see that." The man's tone was clearly not thrilled. Mira picked up on this and glanced at him questioningly.

"Solomon, what is it?"

The man hesitated. "Mi-mi, Mom wants you to come home."

Mira shifted Ezra slightly. "Do you mean for a visit? Because I loved to, and I'm sure Ephraim wouldn't min…." He cut her off gently.

"No, I mean come back and stay. She misses you. And I do too."

His sister looked at him, sadly, tightening her grip around the boy as he looked up in confusion and fear.

"I…I can't Solomon. I have a husband, and a son. I can't just leave them. I have a family now."

"But we're your family Mir." Solomon's tone was now clipped with frustration. "We're your flesh and blood. You just left us. Are we not important to you?"

"Of course you are. But that's not the point. This is my son, Ephraim is his father. Do you expect me to just up and leave? Because I know Mother. She is as suborn as the day is long and I know she still will not allow Ephraim near the door. And she will treat Ezra the same way." Mira was trying to keep her voice neutral, but Ezra could still hear the anger surging through her tone and glanced up fearfully. He and his mother both jumped as a fist was slammed onto a table.

"Forget about them, Mira." The man's voice was barely more than a growl.

"You don't belong here."

Mira gently set Ezra on his feet before rising herself. She narrowed her eyes at the man, before hissing,

"Get out. I think it's you who doesn't belong here. This is my family, my home, and they come before you. I kept hoping that you had changed, but now I see that there's no chance of that happening." He started to say something else, but she cut him off.

"Leave now before I lose it. I'd hate for my child to see what I am truly capable of."

He glared, then placed his hat back on his head.

"Fine," He snapped, before storming out of the kitchen. Just a few seconds later mother and son heard the front door slam.

Mira collapsed back into her seat as soon as he was gone. She covered her face with her hands, shoulders heaving with suppressed sobs. After several moments Ezra padded over, awkwardly patting her arm at an attempt to comfort her.

"Don't cry mommy. The bad man's gone, okay?"

Despite herself Mira laughed, raising her head up to look at his innocent face. The boy looked like he was about to cry himself; he had never seen his mother break down before. Now her eyes were red and mascara streaked her face.

She laughed softly, gathering him into her arms.

"You know I love you so much, right sweetie?" She whispered as she buried her face into his hair. He snuggled against her, trying to pet her hair like she always did him, his arms not quite reaching.

"I love you too, mommy."

As Ezra finished he looked down into his rapidly cooling drink. His hair fell, hiding his pained and thoughtful eyes from his two guardians. He felt numb, as if talking had also released any emotion related to his memories.

Kanan and Hera were shocked at the confession. Little wonder Ezra's reaction to the man. Solomon had tried to separate his mother from their small family. But something told Hera that this wasn't the full story.

"Ezra." She placed a hand on his shoulder. She squeezed gently, showing her silent support. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"When my parents died, the social service worker in charge of me took me to my uncle, to see if he would take custody of me. He refused and actually told her to 'take that child out of my sight, I never want to see it again."

Hera sucked in a breath, while Kanan felt a growl starting to build in his throat. He pushed it back.

"You mean to tell me, that everything you've been through, everything that has happened to you since then, was because of him?" His voice, though soft, carried a dangerous edge to it.

Ezra shrunk back in his seat. He nodded meekly, slightly worried what the man's reaction was going to be.

Kanan looked like he was about to explode with rage. Hera noticed Ezra's reaction and placed a reassuring grip on the teen's arm, squeezing gently as she tried to placate her husband.

"Love, calm down, please." When he finally calmed down enough to look her way she inclined her head to the boy between them. Her eyes were pleading with him, reminding him to be cautious.

Realization dawned on Kanan's face. He inhaled deeply, trying to lessen the tightness in his chest.

While Ezra was more open to them than before, the others had learned early on that Ezra was still sensitive to anger, even if it was not directed toward them. The last time they had (Kanan had yelled at Zeb for leaving his pack on the floor, only for Kanan to trip over it) Ezra had taken off. It took them almost fifteen minutes to find him huddled in the back of his closet, and it took another ten to coax him out. Both adults had decided that the reason behind his reaction was the physiological scars from his abusive past. After that any disagreements were handled with caution. For a moment, Kanan had forgotten that unspoken rule, and remembered just before it turned into something he regretted

Ezra, still tense under Hera's grip, relaxed slightly when he saw that Kanan had no intention of losing his temper.

The man ran his hand over his still damp hair. He looked down into the smaller face of the teen.

"But why did he show up, after all these years?"

Ezra lowered his gaze down to the table.

"When I saw him at the park, he said that both he and grandmother were sorry about how they treated me, and that they wanted to make up for it. He said he wanted me to come live with him. When I told that I already had a new family he got mad. He said I would be with him, one way or another." His face scrunched up in worry.

"I don't want to leave." He said urgently.

"I want to stay with you guys!" The mug clutched tightly in his grip clattered against the table surface. His arms trembled.

"Then you won't lose us." Hera wrapped an arm around his slim shoulders and gave him a squeeze.

"You're family. We won't give you up without a fight, and that's a promise."

"She's right." Kanan wrapped his own arm around the boy, dislodging Hera's. He ignored her mewl of protest as he continued.

"You might as well get used to us, because you aren't going anywhere. By the time we're done with Solomon, he'll wish he never even heard of this family."

At that Ezra laughed. Though tension was still tight around his eyes, there was considerably less than before.

"Thanks….I don't know how I can repay you."

"You can repay us by getting some sleep." Hera took the mug away with a small grin.

"Come on, off to bed with you."

Ezra smiled. A few hugs and a kiss to the forehead later, the boy headed upstairs to get some much needed rest. The moment he was gone Hera deflated. She slumped, dropping her confident façade as her head fell into her hands. Kanan rubbed her shoulder in reassurance.

"Hey, we'll get through this." He said softly.

She raised her head to look at him. She blinked back tears.

"I know, it's just the timing. First Trevor, now this? How much more can that poor child take?

"How much longer can we protect him?"

"We can't prevent him from suffering." Kanan took her hands in his own.

"But we can be here to support him. He's staying with us. I'd rather die than give him up. I promise, things will be okay."


	4. By the Dawn's Early Light

Hey you all, sorry for the long wait. Classes have been super hard and I have been super busy at work. I haven't had much time to do anything online. This is a short chapter and not much happens, but I had a lot of fun writing it and I think all you 'fluff lovers' will like it. Thank you all for your support! Hopefully the next chapter won't be too long in coming up.

* * *

Even though she couldn't see him, Hera could hear the frown in Morad's voice as he spoke.

"Are you absolutely sure they're related?"

"I'm sure. Ezra confirmed it. And they look so much alike, it's almost impossible to deny it." She heard the door creak open and glanced up to see Sabine standing in the doorframe. "Hang on Morad, I'll only be a moment."

She covered the receiver of the phone with the palm of one hand and gestured the girl closer.

"I was talking to Zeb." Sabine whispered, chocolate brown eyes betraying her concern.

"Is it true that Ezra's uncle showed up?"

"Yes." Hera replied in just as soft a tone.

"Hang on a moment. I'll explain once I'm off the phone." She uncovered the mouthpiece and brought it back up to her mouth.

"Hello, Morad? Are you still there?"

"Yes." The voice crackled over the phone.

"I was just trying to think. I recall Ephraim mentioning something about struggling to get along with Mira's side of the family. I had forgotten until you called, it's been so long."

"But he wants Ezra. If he tries to legally claim Ezra, would he win? After all, he refused to raise him before." She heard the soft sigh.

"In truth, I don't know. When it comes to family matters and custody, the law can be, well, messy. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but I can't lie to you."

"I understand." Despite her best attempts to hide it, disheartenment flooded Hera's voice, and caused it to crack at the end. The lawyer picked up on this and was quick to assure her.

"But don't give up so quickly. Tell you what, I'll start digging for information on this 'Solomon'. If I find anything that we can possibly use against him, I'll contact you. I promise, I won't let Ezra leave without a fight."

"Thank you so much, Morad. I cannot tell you how grateful we are for all you have done." Hera said.

"No need to thank me. You all have done so much for Ezra these past few months than anyone has done for him in years. You have cared for the child of my closet friends. This is the absolute least I could do." With that, Morad said his farewells and hung up.

Hera had hardly placed down the phone when Sabine started to bombard her with questions.

"What, claim Ezra? What are you talking about? No one can take him, he's family! Who.."

Hera silenced her with a hand on the teen's arm. She gave a small squeeze. Speaking in the calmest voice she could muster, she quickly explained what has transpired since the night before, and their unexpected 'visitor'. And as much as she hated to do so, Hera told her of the possible consequences of it, that their was a possible chance that Solomon could claim legal custody of the boy.

Sabine was pale by the time she finished.

"Mom, why? We won't give up the kid, will we?" She sounded so pitiful that Hera couldn't resist pulling her into an embrace.

"Don't worry, I promise we won't give Ezra up without a fight. And we won't stop until he's safe with us." She pulled the girl back, still holding her arms. Sabine smiled, albeit faintly.

"Thanks mom." She then noticed something. "Where is everyone?"

Hera let out a soft sigh. "Zeb is still asleep. Kanan woke up early only to discover that Ezra hadn't gotten hardly any sleep, so they both went on an early morning drive. And YOU are going to get ready for school. Now hurry up, or you're going to be late."

* * *

Kanan glanced from the road to the brooding boy in the passenger seat next to him. He quickly averted his eyes back to the road, but spoke to Ezra.

"So, where'd you want to go first? The mall? Or would you like to get something to eat? There's a fast food restaurant not too far from here that serves a pretty good breakfast platter" A shrug was his only reply.

Kanan bit his tongue to keep from snapping. They had been driving for almost an hour now, and he had yet to coax a single word out of the boy. Instead the youth had curled up in the seat, staring out the window at the passing scenery. He seemed lost in his own world, and reacted to hardly anything that the man had said to him all morning. Kanan had tried everything to get him to talk, but nothing seemed to work.

Kanan hated the silence.

It reminded him of when Ezra had first come under their care, when he hadn't been heard to speak in years. Kanan didn't want their progress to halt because of this new development. It was then he set his jaw. No use circling around the heart of the matter.

He suddenly swerved, pulling the car into a parking lot. He braked and turned to face the startled teen.

"Ezra, answer me. Do you trust us?" Ezra nodded. He was confused at what the man was trying to get at.

"Do you know how much we love you?" Kanan asked.

Ezra finally found his voice. "Why are you asking me this?"

Kanan waved a dismissive hand. "Humor me. Now, do you know we love you? That we would do absolutely anything for you?"

"Yes…"Ezra drawled out. In all honesty, he was beginning to worry. His adoptive parent had never done this before.

Kanan crossed his arms over the driver's wheel. "Then why are you so worried?"

"Huh?" The boy was dumbfounded. That was the last question he expected.

"Why are you so worried?" The man repeated. "If you trust us, if you know that we care, then you know that we won't let you go." It was more of a demand than a question.

Ezra let his gaze fall down to his lap. "I don't know." He finally said. "I guess it's just that…"

"Just what, kid?" Kanan asked when the boy didn't continue, voice soft.

"I guess…I don't want to lose anyone else!" Ezra blurted out. He curled inward at the confession. He wanted to stop, but the words continued to pour off his tongue without his permission.

"I trust you guys, I really do. But it's not just a matter of trust. I trusted my parents, I knew that they care. But guess what? I still lost them. What if I lose you guys too? I just don't think I could handle it again. I just…"His throat closed up. He shook his head, unwilling to continue.

"Hey." Kanan had rarely seen the youth this dejected before. "This is different kid. You're not going to lose us."

"How do you know?" Ezra's voice was now rough. He lifted his head to meet Kanan's understanding gaze. His blue eyes were unusually wide and bright.

Kanan reached over and squeezed the slim shoulder.

"You're right, I don't know." The man admitted.

"I have no clue how things will turn out. And I won't lie, I'm just as scared as you are. But we're family; no matter what, we will fight for you and with you. You're not alone in this battle Ezra. I promise, we'll be with you until the end. We will NOT abandon you." He gave the boy's shoulder a quick shake to emphasize his words, nodding in agreement.

Ezra gave a weak smile. "Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten."

Kanan had to smile, recognizing the quote from the movie they had watched just the previous night. He moved to sling his arm over the small frame, holding him in a one arm embrace.

"Yeah." He said softly. "No one gets left behind." He allowed the boy to rest his head on his collarbone, curling into the man's side. He rested his chin on top of the messy dark hair. Ezra relaxed against him, savoring the warmth and safety that was Kanan.

They sat there for a long while, not even bothering to keep track of the time as they drew comfort and strength from each other. In the distance the sun began to rise, spreading its golden rays about.

After a while, Kanan noticed Ezra's breathing was soft and even. He glanced down to find the boy lost deep in slumber, his face illuminated by the soft morning light. Kanan smiled. He brushed back the dark strands that hung down in the now peaceful face. The boy shifted at the gentle touch, but didn't wake. Kanan sighed, holding him closer.

"Hang in there, kid." He whispered.

"Things will get better, you'll see. And no matter what happens, we won't let you go."

"I promise."


	5. New Lead and Shocking Turn

**Hi guys. Sorry for not updating in so long. It's not been because I haven't wanted to. I felt horrible for not updating, but college has been...stressful to say the least. My mom even said she couldn't figure out how I managed to make it, it was so bad. Long story short, I had one person at work who pretty much bullied me into silence and left me thinking that I couldn't rely on anyone for support. It left me an emotional mess. But Praise the Lord I made it through and managed to finish my freshman year of college, with a pretty good GPA average. And now I am out for the summer, which means more updates! Yippee! Anyhow, hope you enjoy the new chapter!**

Hera bent over the engine of the Ghost, sweat dripping off her face. She looked up at the sound of another vehicle pulling into the driveway. She recognized the car. She wiped her grease covered hands on her already stained jeans and went to greet him.

"Hello Morad, I had no idea that you were coming over today."

The lawyer gave a small smile. "In truth, I had no idea either. I had went to the police station to pick up some records and happened to be in the neighborhood, so I thought that it would be better to come up to discuss something with you all."

"Well, come on in." Hera said with a friendly grin of her own, leading him toward the house.

"Kanan and Ezra are in the living room. I'll go clean up. I'll only be a minute." She hurried up the stairs.

Morad headed over to the entrance of the doorway. He paused in the frame, smiling at the sight that greeted him.

Neither adult nor child noticed his presence. They were both sitting on the couch, Ezra curled up next to Kanan with an open textbook in his hand. The youth read out loud in slow, halting sentences.

"And…the British Navy….gath….gath.."

"Gathered." Kanan supplied. He pointed at each syllable as he slowly sounded it out to the boy. Ezra copied him, carefully sounding each letter on his tongue.

"Gathered, and began to…pre…pare? Prepare for war….and the colonels…"

"Close, but not quite Ezra. Look at the spelling and sound it out carefully."

"Colo…ni…es? Colonies?" He wrinkled his nose in frustration. "I can't help it if I get them mixed up." He remarked. "They are practically spelled the same way."

Kanan ruffled his hair with a chuckle. It was then he noticed the newcomer in the doorway.

"Hello, Morad. Nice to see you again."

Ezra's head shot up at that. A huge grin pulled at his lips.

"Morad!" He jumped up, sending the book tumbling into Kanan's lap as he leaped at the lawyer. He slapped the hand that Morad held up for a high-five. The man had to conceal a wince from the force of the contact. While still small and thin, regular meals and constant roughhousing had strengthened the teen's muscles to almost an unbelievable degree. He then met Kanan's eyes over the teen's head. Kanan must have read something in his face, because he frowned. He looked like he was about to say something, but decided against him.

It was then that Hera showed up, now in clean clothing and bare skin free from any of the dark oil that covered them previously. She motioned to Morad to sit in the single lounge chair, while she took her place next to her husband. She took his hand in hers, squeezing gently. He returned it before looking back at his visitor.

"Well, what can we do for you, Mr. Sumer?"

The white haired man sat his suitcase on his lap. He pulled out a folder.

"I was doing some research on this "Uncle Solomon' of ours. And I found some information that I believe you all will be interested in." He found what he was looking for. He handed several sheets to Kanan, who took them without a word. Hera looked over his shoulder and followed along as he read. Her reaction was a sharp intake of breath.

"What is it? What does it say?" Ezra asked nervously. He angled his head to try and get a glimpse of the text.

Kanan hesitated before angling the paper so Ezra could see the lettering. He kept a reassuring grip on the boy's shoulder as he read out loud to the boy.

"Solomon Bunty has been charged with illegal drug trafficking, assault and battery. He was also a suspect in destruction of private property, though his involvement has never been solved. His doctor's reports also indicated he is a heavy drinker…" His voice trailed off. The sheet threatened to tear as he gripped it tightly in both hands, wide eyes skimming over the page.

After a long moment he looked up at Morad. His voice was hard.

"You mean to tell that this man, after all he has done, thinks he can…." His voice trailed off. Instead he wrapped an arm around Ezra and pulled him into his side. The teen accepted the motion and curled in closer, more than a little worried about what he just heard.

"Apparently so." Morad took the paper, placing it back in his briefcase."

"But one good thing about all this. He doesn't even have a chance to claim Ezra. In fact, with the way his record shapes up, he can't even approach the boy without gaining jail time."

Ezra whooped at that. He jumped to his feet.

"Wait until I tell Zeb!" He took off, hollering the name of the older boy.

Kanan laughed at the boy's reaction. But then he noticed Morad's serious face.

"What is it?" Hera leaned forward. Her green eyes were bright with concern.

Morad leaned forward in his seat. He folded his hands in his lap. Expression unusually grim.

"There's something I didn't want to say in front of Ezra. Solomon is currently a suspect in…." He swallowed his disgust, "kidnapping of more than one child. He hasn't been convicted of it yet, but authorities have had their eyes on him for months now. While I do not think he is in true danger of being captured for that reason, but I felt that you all would want to know at least. It's up to you whether you want him to know or not."

Kanan felt his temper started to rise at the thought. He pushed it down before it could reach its limit, but it simmered under the surface. He was soothed slightly by the pressure of Hera's hand on his forearm.

"Thank you Morad for this information. And for your secrecy with it. I don't think Ezra should know about it, at least not until this whole situation settles down." Hera said.

Morad was about to say more, but Ezra bounded back into the room, Zeb behind him.

"Kanan, so the kid said the situation is now settled, huh?"

Kanan hesitated, but forced a smile onto his face. "For the most part, yes." He decided that it was the truth, for the most part.

"Great!" He offered the kid a high-five, which was returned wholeheartedly.

Morad stood up. "I must be heading back to the office. Take care, all of you all."

"I'll walk back with you." Kanan offered.

On the porch, Morad stopped and turned to Kanan.

"I will be calling the police on Solomon. If you are able to, go to the station and make a statement about Solomon. Let them know what is going on, and his claim to the boy. They may be able to increase the amount of patrols coming through this area if you express your concern about the situation. Until then, there isn't much we can do until he pokes his head out again."

"I understand." Kanan sighed. "Doesn't mean I have to like it though." He stuck out his hand. "Thank you for coming over and explaining all of this."

"Anytime." The lawyer shook his presented hand. "If you need anything, anything at all, let me know."

"I will. You have a good day."

"You too."

….

When Sabine returned from school, she was thrilled to find out about the new development. She suggested going out to eat to celebrate, to which Kanan had a hard time finding an excuse to say no to. If it was up to him, he would have trapped his whole family in the house until he knew for sure that Solomon was locked up. But that would have been impossible to do so without alerting them to something being wrong, so he agreed.

He was tense during the entire dinner. Only Hera noticed. Ezra was too busy trying to tick off Zeb and Sabine doing her absolute best to avoid being pulled into the situation.

It was almost nine in the evening when they finally returned. Both adults shooed the three off to bed to finish their homework and get ready for the next day. The older two immediately took off, but Ezra remained behind. Hera raised an eyebrow at him.

"What is it? Need help with your homework?" She asked.

Ezra quickly shook his head. "No, it's not that. It's just…thank you for everything you guys have done for me. You guys have already been there. Most people would have already given up on me."

Kanan smiled for the first time that evening, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. "Hey, I understand. When I was your age, I was alone. What happened, I didn't want you to be."

Ezra's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "You were alone?" He suddenly realized this was the first time that he had thought of the backgrounds of his parents.

Kanan nodded. "My foster mother Depa passed away when I was your age." He explained.

"Like you, I spent several years on and off the streets. That's partially why Hera and I adopted you three. We wanted to spare you all as much of the pain I suffered as possible. Or, in your case, try to make up for lost time."

Hera nodded in agreement at her husband's words. She hugged the boy briefly, before sending him off to get some sleep. Then the both of them went to bed, only to talk through their worried before drifting off to a fitful sleep.

They were awakened early in the next morning by Zeb crashing into their room, Sabine on his heels. They shook the pair awake roughly.

Kanan sat up with a groan. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the bedside clock.

"Care to explain why you woke us up three hours earlier than we need to be up?" He tried to keep from snapping, but he wasn't exactly a morning person. Hera propped herself up next to him, blinking the sleep from her tired eyes.

"Kids, what's wrong?"

Both began to talk at the same time, stumbling over each other's sentences. They were silenced by Kanan raising his hand.

"One at a time. Zeb?"

"Ezra's missing!" He blurted out.

"I woke up an' he wasn't in bed! Me and 'Bine checked the entire house. He's just not here!"

Both adults were instantly awake at that. They scrambled out of the bed and hurried out the door, both teens at their heels.

True to Zeb's word, the child wasn't anywhere in the house. But when they checked his bed it was clear that it had been slept in. And after another frantic search, they finally concluded that they were right; Ezra wasn't anywhere to be found.

Finally Kanan raced to the phone to call the authorities, leaving Hera standing in the middle of Zeb and Ezra's room. She felt numb, unable to comprehend what had happened.

Slowly Hera approached the bed. She stared at the blue coverlet. In the corner of the bed was a white baseball cap, decorated with red and orange paint streaks. She recognized the cap. It was Ezra's birthday present from Sabine and Zeb just a few months before.

She picked it up with trembling hands. Finally the reality of what was happening finally hit her. A lump formed in her throat as she turned the cap over in her hands. She hugged it tightly against her chest. She tried-and failed-to prevent the small sob that escaped her lips.

"Mom?" She jumped at the sound of the new voice. She wiped at her face, trying to put on her strong appearance before turning to Sabine.

"Yeah, Honey?" She fought to hide the tremble in her voice. Something must have bled through though, because the girl faltered. But she found her voice.

"Do you…do you think he's okay?"

Hera wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. She was asking herself the same question and wondering just why this had to happen.

But she mentally pulled herself together and became the strong, confident adult that both she and Sabine needed.

"This is Ezra we're talking about. He'll be just fine, I promise." She squeezed the younger gently. But like Sabine, uncertainty and fear ran like liquid through her veins. And she silently prayed for a miracle.


	6. A Call and a Favor

I am working as a adult volunteer at 4-H camp next week. I will try to update with another chapter before then, but i also have to babysit my cousins before then so I can't promise. 'Sigh' Busy summber lined up ahead of me. Thank you all so much for your support with this story and I hope you enjoy the new chapter. As always, please let me know of any mistakes or grammer issues you find.

* * *

It had been two days. Two long, slow, painful days since Ezra's disappearance. And during that time more police than Kanan had ever seen in his life passed in and out of the house, asking questions, taking down notes, and tracking down every possible lead they could find. In the meantime, the best thing they could do was lay low and continue to go about their lives as normally as possible.

Their impartial attitude made Kanan furious. It took almost all of his self-control –and some calming words from Hera- to keep from yelling. Didn't they realize that it was impossible? That it was unbearable to continue acting like everything was alright when Ezra was out there?

He wasn't the only one to feel this way. Zeb had withdrawn from the others almost completely, instead spending almost all his time in his room. Sabine rarely spoke to anyone and had given up her painting.

And Hera, she broke Kanan's heart. She was trying to be strong for all of them, but it was rapidly wearing her down. She rarely got any rest, and the few snitches of sleep that she managed to gain were often brought on by crying fits.

It was almost a week after Ezra's disappearance. A police officer had just left after informing them of yet another dead end.

Hera had went to get a drink and compose herself, leaving Kanan standing alone in the hallway. The man sighed as he leaned against the wall, scrubbing his face with his hands. Hera wasn't the only one who was worn down; Kanan didn't know how much more stress and worry he could take.

He jumped when the phone suddenly rang, the sound shrill in the calm air. He quickly composed himself and picked it up and held it up to his ear.

"Jarrus Residence."

There was harsh breathing on the other end. Finally someone spoke.

"Kanan?"

Kanan could have sworn that his heart stopped at that very moment. He recognized the youthful voice.

"Ezra?! Where are you?"

"I…I don't know!" Kanan could hear the boy's ragged breathing. Ezra sounded like he was nervous, on guard.

"Does he still have you?! Describe to me what you see." Kanan said calmly, though he was anything but.

"Okay…um….He's keeping me in some kind of house. I think we're in some kind of countryside. He keeps me locked in the basement. I tried to escape once. He caught me, but I saw a barn and we're surrounded by woods."

"Alright. Don't worry, we'll find you." A thought suddenly occurred to Kanan.

"Wait, basement? How are you calling me?"

"I escaped while he went to get something to eat and he forgot to lock the door. I thought it'd be better to call while…."

The boy's voice was suddenly cut off with a yelp. Kanan heard a thud, followed by the sounds of a scuffle and someone's insults. He closed his eyes in grief. Apparently his boy had been found. He heard someone pick up on the other end, followed by harsh breathing.

"What have you done to my son?"

Kanan could hear the soft breaths from the other end. Finally the other person spoke. The new voice was soft, yet filled with barely contained fury.

"Do not get involved. I have simply taken what is mine. He is no longer yours." Then a click signaled that the conversation was over.

Kanan felt rage build in his chest. It pushed all his stress that had built over the past few days to the side, hot burning anger taking its place. He stared at the phone in his hand. It was then that he realized he was shaking; whether from fear or anger he couldn't tell.

He resisted the initial urge to slam the phone against the wall. He quickly dialed the police station. It had barely finished ringing before it was picked up.

"Lothal local police station," the receptionist's voice crackled over the receiver.

"Hello, this is Kanan Jarrus," He stopped to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.

"I believe I have just found a lead on my son."

…

The officer quickly scribbled down in her pocketbook, nodding intently to every word Kanan spoke. Hera sat on the couch on his left side, gripping his arm tightly. He could feel her racing pulse. She was just as jittery as he was.

The officer snapped the book shut, pocketing it in her breast pocket. Her bright blue eyes were solemn. Her bright curly hair escaped from underneath the brim of her hat to frame her pale face.

"I honestly don't know what to tell the both of you. There are countless barns spread across the state, and since Ezra was caught calling you, it's entirely possible that he could be moved to another location."

"We understand Ahsoka. But please, this is OUR Ezra we're talking about. This is our son." Hera sounded tired, but desperation now tinged her voice.

Ahsoka stood and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Hera, we have been friends for a long time, have we not? Then you should know that when I vow to do everything possible in my power to find him, I mean it. I will not stop until he is back home. I promise."

Hera gave the best smile she could muster. "Thank you."

The officer nodded as she let go and straightened to her full height.

"It's almost time for school to be let out. You better get ready for your daughter to come home. If you think of anything else that might help, no matter how insignificant, please don't hesitate to let me know."

"Alright, we will." Hera led Ahsoka to the door. When she returned she found Kanan in the same position she had left him in; sitting on the couch with his head buried in his hands. She lowered herself next to him.

"Dear, don't beat yourself up. You couldn't have known what Solomon would do."

"But I should have." His voice was dripping with grief and regret. He raised his head up to meet her gentle gaze.

"That voice, to hear his voice. He felt so close, yet he's," he swallowed painfully. "He's so far. I feel so helpless." He was shushed by her slender finger pressed against his lips.

"I feel just as helpless as you. But sitting here feeling guilty about what happened in the past. Starting here, starting now, we need to just focus on getting Ezra back."

He locked eyes with her for a long moment. He breathed in as deep as his chest could hold. He exhaled, letting out everything that had built up over the past week.

Hera was startled when he raised his eyes back to her. Now his orbs were bright with a newly lit fire and determination.

He suddenly stood, heading for the door.

"And where do you think you're going?" He stopped in his tracks at her question, turning to face her.

"You want Ezra back, right? I might know just the person to help us get him back."

It only took her second for Hera to realize what he meant. She inhaled sharply.

"No Kanan, you can't!"

"He owes me a favor." He turned away.

"No!" She leaped forward and grasped his arm before he could make his exit.

"Vizago is a monster! He'd sell his own mother for a couple of bucks. You know this! Please, don't go back!"

"I know." He pulled away from her hands. His face was cold, emotionless.

"But I have to. For Ezra." And with that, he strode out of the room.

Hera remained where he had left her. She collapsed into the nearest lounge chair and buried her face into her hands. She felt the warm liquid trickle from her burning eyes and through her fingers, falling into her lap as she finally fully gave in to her feelings.

….

Kanan stared out the windshield at the building he had just parked in front of.

If he was being honest with himself, Kanan was ready to leave at the sight. Vizago had always been a cheapskate, as long as he had known the crime lord. But the other warehouses looked like palaces compared to it. It made Kanan wonder why he didn't try to fix it up in the slightest.

Then again, with Vizago's line of work, maybe it provided better cover.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the vehicle.

As he approached the warehouse, a man stepped out of the shadows to block his way. The man must have fallen on hard times, judging by his tattered clothing. Dirt smeared his pale skin and dusted his red hair. Briefly Kanan wondered how much he was being paid by Vizago. He looked vaguely familiar to Kanan.

"Password." He said gruffly.

"Come on, you know me. I was one of Vizago's top men, remember?" He accepted defeat at the incredulous look he was given. He sighed.

"Fine. 'It's a long way from Alderaan."

The guard nodded his approval, slinking back into his post. Kanan rolled his eyes and strode confidently into the building.

When he was finally inside, Kanan gave himself a moment to let his eyes adjust to the sudden dimness. Once he could see, he headed to the back. He brushed past hanging cobwebs and tried to avoid breathing in the dust motes floating around him.

It was at the very back of the building where he found him, sitting at a table that was far too pristine for this environment it was in. The man's face was hidden in the hood of his jacket.

"Welcome Jarrus. I must admit, I am surprised to see you again. I thought you had given up a life of, what did you call it? Dishonesty and selfishness?"

Kanan ignored the comment and the offered hand. "Enough of your games Vizago. I came to collect the favor you owed me."

"Oh?" The man lowered his hood. Streaked gray hair covered his head. The mysterious tattoos around his eyes twisted as he raised his brows.

"And what can Vizago do for you?"

Kanan took a deep breath. It was too late to turn back now.

"I need you to find my son."


	7. A Vow and Renewed Hope

**Sorry for not updating sooner. I was an adult volunteer at 4-H camp and I got back last Friday. But the moment I got back I found out my aunt, who lives right next door, had been rushed to the hospital. She wasn't expected to even make it through the night. But thanks to many prayers, she is starting to recover. And I do believe that it was prayer. The doctors are literally amazed that she is even pulling through. But she still has a long road to go. So between heading to the hospital and rushing home to take care of both her pets and our own animals, it's been hard to update.**

 **I hope to make the updates on this weekly. Anyhow, hope you enjoy the chapter! And thank you all for your continued support and encouragement on this, despite the inconsistent updating. I have read every single review posted and your patience really astounds me. I can never thank you enough.  
**

Ezra kicked and squirmed as he was dragged back toward the basement. Solomon's grip was unrelenting, squeezing hard enough to leave a bruise behind.

They were almost at the basement door when Ezra twisted, angling his head and trying to bite the hand that kept him from escaping. Solomon shook him, roughly.

"No of that now." He opened the door and threw the boy into the dark space. Ezra tumbled down the short flight of stairs and landed on the plank floor. He groaned and pushed himself up with his shaky arms.

"Don't leave this place Ezra. You need to stay here. It's for your own good." And with that, he shut the door.

Ezra growled. He raised himself up to his feet and scrambled up the staircase. He landed on the door and beat his fists against it.

"You can't keep me here, you hear me! I'm not yours to keep." He continued like that, wearing himself out on the wood until he finally slumped in exhaustion. He slid down the door into a collapsed heap at the bottom. He pressed his damp forehead against it.

"You jerk." He said softly. Finally after several long moments he sighed and stood. There was no use staying there. Might as well move somewhere more comfortable.

Once he was back on the bottom, he fumbled for the light switch that he knew was there. He flipped it when he finally found it, bathing the room in a dim light. There was little in the so-called basement. The only objects seen was an old army cot, a box of books in which Ezra had already destroyed much of its contents in rage, and a bowl that was still half full from breakfast.

Ezra sat down cross-legged on the cot. He breathed deeply, trying to bring his frustration under control. His breath hitched and he coughed, the movement burning his chest and scratching his throat.

He fought to gain control and finally succeeded. Once he had managed to regulate his breathing back to a normal pace he sat back. The hopeless of getting out of this place came crashing down on him. He had tried multiple times to escape, with no success so far.

But at least he had managed to call Kanan. Hope flared in his chest, then died out just as quickly. He didn't tell Kanan his location, so how could they find him?

Ezra sighed. He brought himself back to his feet and began to pace. The tips of his shoes scuffing the dirt floor, marking the path he had made from his constant pacing. He mulled over possible chances of escape, though his hope of doing so was starting to fade. He hadn't found a way to escape over the past few days, so how could he find one now?

His eyes began to burn, as memories with his newly found family began to surface to the front of his mind. He sniffled, pacing faster.

Laughing with Zeb over some old comedy….drawing with Sabine at the kitchen table while Hera worked on baking…

"I'll find a way back." He said aloud, though no one could hear him.

Hera laughing…..Kanan bent over the boy to help work on his homework…..Chopper trying to run up his leg…..Kanan ruffling his hair…..Hera's hugs…

His cheeks were damp.

"I'll find a way out. I'll…I'll…"

His shoe snagged on something in the dirt. The result was Ezra tripping, landing on his hands and knees. He hissed, twisting around to see what had made him fall. He paused. Something was sticking out the dirt. His constant pacing over the past few days had uncovered something.

Curious, he used his already filthy hands to brush back the dirt. Within several minutes, he was holding a screwdriver. It was rusty after years of neglect, but still useable. He ran his fingers lightly over the edge.

"Maybe this'll be good for something." He was about to tuck it away when a thought suddenly occurred to him. He craned his head back and looked up toward the ceiling.

Near the top of the wall was a vent. The opening was covered by a grate, held in place with several screws.

And for the first time in days, a genuine smile began to pull at Ezra's lips.


	8. A Lead and a Runaway

**Guys, I am so sorry for not updating sooner. Our internet went out about a few nights ago just and I haven't had a good place to go and upload the story. Again I apologize for the delay. I feel horrible about it, but I really couldn't help it.**

It was about three nights after Kanan's meeting with Vizago when both Kanan and Hera were woken up in the very early morning by the doorbell ringing throughout the home. The woman shot up at the sound. Her husband was already out of the bed, throwing on his shoes.

"What's going on?" Instead of an answer, Kanan was already out the door. Hera scrambled out from underneath the sheets. She wrapped a housecoat tightly about herself and hurried after him.

By the time her feet hit the bottom of the staircase Kanan had the front door open and was speaking to someone standing just outside on the porch. The stranger's face was hidden in the shadows, but she could tell by his frame it was a male.

The figure grabbed Kanan's arm and thrust something into his palm, before turning and disappearing into the shadows.

Hera came forward and craned her neck to look over Kanan's shoulder to see that he was holding a scrap of paper, folded into a small square.

"What is it?"

Kanan didn't reply at first. He unfolded the paper with trembling fingers. Something was scribbled across the paper; an address.

Hera had already put the pieces together before Kanan had even turned to her. Still, even suspecting it didn't prevent her heart from leaping into her throat at his next words.

"Call Ahsoka. Tell her we have a lead on Ezra."

….

Ahsoka didn't question where the lead had come from. She immedianlty agreed to send a squad car to the address and hung up. Hera had a feeling that the officer already knew where Kanan had gotten the information.

Ahsoka knew most of Kanan's past. How he had went down a dark road after his parent, Depa, death. How he had become a supplier to the black market in order to survive, running different 'supply runs' for crime leader Vizago until Hera had come along.

Ahsoka had supported them throughout the beginning, agreeing not to turn Kanan in despite his background as a criminal. She had never fully explained why, except once during a deep conversation assuring them that she 'understood.' Hera had been curious what her friend had meant, but felt at the time that it was not her place to interfere.

After she had phoned Ahsoka, she went back to their shared bedroom to find that Kanan had already dressed in his jeans and old green t-shirt. He was stuffing a blanket into a backpack by the time she entered. She raised an eyebrow.

"It's cold out there." He answered her unspoken question.

"He's probably freezing out there."

Hera came forward and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace. He returned it wholeheartedly, resting his head against her own.

"I'm coming with you." She spoke into his ear.

He almost argued against it, but paused. It was a futile effort to change her mind; once Hera had decided on something, there was no chance to change it. It was one of the many things that he loved about it, despite the frustration it often caused him.

"Fine. Better go wake the kids and let them know what's going on. They would not be pleased to find that we kept them in the dark."

"I will." As she left the room, Hera couldn't stop the nervous anticipation that bubbled up within her chest. This might finally be it. Maybe, just maybe, Ezra might be coming home.

…..

It was almost two in the morning when they finally found the address that Kanan had been given. It was just outside the town, tucked just into the inside of the woods.

The house in question was in immaculate condition. It was two storied, with white siding and shingles on the roof. In the front of the building two police cars were parked. Ahsoka stood in from with another police officer. They were interrogating a clearly nervous Solomon, who was hotly insisting his innocence.

"I already told you, I don't know anything about this kid you're looking for…." He spotted Kanan striding toward him and his face paled. A curse escaped his lips.

Kanan balled his hands into fists in an attempt to control his rage. Between his gritted teeth he forced out:

"Where is he? What have you done with him?"

"I don't know where he is Jarrus." Solomon spat out. "I've not seen him since that night at your house. You're asking the wrong guy."

"Oh really." Kanan tried to step closer, despite Hera trying to hold him back.

"What about that barn over there, huh? Ezra told me he saw a barn just outside his prison."

"There are hundreds of barns out there, you idiot. So I suggest that you go find yourself another victim, because I'm not to be one for you."

Ahsoka shoved herself between them. "Both of you just shut up." Hands were placed squarely on hips, eyes flashing.

"This is not helping either one of you."

Another officer showed up. "We couldn't find the boy."

Kanan's heart sunk at those words. But then the officer continued.

"But we did find evidence of someone living in the basement. And the door was locked when we discovered it. "He held out a screwdriver.

"Someone used this to undo the vent leading outside. Everything points to someone being purposely being held against their will."

"Ezra." Kanan murmured, staring at the tool. So the sneaky kid managed to escape just before he was rescued. But relief filled his chest at the knowledge that the child was alright.

Ahsoka frowned. "But where is he now? Surely he can't be that far from here." She turned back to the officer.

"Officer Tua, gather a search party. It looks like we have a missing child to save."

"Let me help." Kanan spoke up. "The more people searching, the more of a chance we have of finding him sooner."

Ahsoka opened her mouth as though to protest, but seemed to decide it. She unclipped something from her belt and dropped it into his outstretched hand.

"Here's an walkie talkie. Make sure to stay in contact at all times. Make sure to keep your cell phone on too. Ezra might somehow manage to find a phone and gets a hold of you."

Kanan nodded. He gripped the small talkie tightly. "Thank you."

"You can thank me when you find him." Ahsoka said sharply as she turned away.

…

Ezra continued to run, branches and thorns hacked and slashed at his clothing as he practically flew by. His legs burned after days without exercise. His chest heaved with each gasping breath of air. Still he didn't stop. He had no idea how long it would take for Solomon to realize he was gone. He had to put as much distance between as possible.

He stumbled over a tree root. He tried to stop his fall, but still crashed onto the ground. He landed on his hands and knees, trying to regain his breath. The dirt underneath stung and froze his bare palms.

It was then when something finally occurred to Ezra. He looked up to examine his surroundings.

Where was he? Too late did Ezra think of this question. He had just run blindly. How was he supposed to find his way home now?

He stood back up, shakily. He shivered as the cold wind blew through the trees. And promptly sneezed. He needed to find shelter for the night. Then tomorrow figure out his next course of action.

Eventually Ezra came across a clearing, with something large and dark right in the center. Hope flared in his chest as he realized what it was.

He stumbled up to the door of the cabin and collapsed against the frame. He coughed and raised his hand to knock. The slight effort applied caused the door to swing in. He didn't even stop to think as he pulled himself inside out of the elements. The door slammed shut behind him, making him jump.

Inside the cabin was almost pitch black, with only the barest outline of objects being made out. But the musty and stale air that hit his nostrils told Ezra that this place had been abandoned for some time now.

His legs gave out from under him. He fell to the damp wooden floor. His left hand reached out to find support and hit something soft and springy.

A bed! Ezra's heart leaped. It had been too long since he had slept in one.

He crawled gratefully up onto its surface. H sneed as he stirred up dust. He briefly wondered how long this place had been abandoned, but exhaustion soon pushed curiosity out of his thoughts. He curled up on the mattress. He had barely shut his eyes before he had drifted off into his first deep sleep since his kidnapping.

And somewhere in the distance, someone was calling his name.


	9. Family Reunion

**This was supposed to be two chapters, but I decided that I didn't want to keep you in supense any longer. So anyhow, on to the chapter!**

Hera wrapped her jacket tighter about her frame in a futile attempt to ward off the cold early morning air. She leaned against the side of the Ghost and checked her watch. The old-fashioned clock face read about 5:35. Not much longer until the sun rose.

She was still in front of Solomon's house, waiting for word from Kanan and the rest of the search party. With her was another officer. Hera recognized him as Sato, who had been one of her father's closest friends while she was growing up.

Hera raised herself off the side of her vehicle and approached the cop car, which was where Sato was.

"Any word?"

The officer shook his head at the question. "I'm afraid not. I am so sorry Miss Syndulla." He said, referring to her by her maiden name.

"I'm a Jarrus. I no longer go by Syndulla." She sighed. She had known that there not be anything new. Sato would have informed her if there had been. But the small niave part of her had hoped that there would be. She choked back the lump that had formed in the back of her throat.

"I just wish I knew where he was. I just can't take much more of this not knowing." Worry continued to plague her mind. Was Ezra alright? Or was he injured? What if he was…. She forced the thought from the front of her mind. But not before her eyes began to burn at the idea.

"I should have gone with them." She murmured. Sato looked like he was about to say something-most likely to protest her comment- but he was cut off by a shrill beep. Hera pulled her phone out her front pocket and read the text message she had just received.

"Great. Thanks a lot Zeb." She moaned. She showed the screen to the officer. Sato's eyebrows rose as he read the message.

"Your father is coming, so what? I thought you both had a good relationship."

"Not since my mother died." Hera shook her head, tangled hair swaying with the motion.

"We haven't even spoke to each other for almost four years. We got into a fight, he walked out and I never heard from him again. He didn't even know about us adopting Ezra, let alone that he even existed. And Zeb, the little blabbermouth, just gave him the address." She clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Great. This is going to be so much fun to explain to him." The sarcasm and bitterness was plain in her voice.

Sato patted her hand. "Don't worry about it, alright? I'll be here to deal with him if it gets out of hand."

Hera gave a smile, even though it was strained. "Thank you Sato. I appreciate it.

"It's not a problem." He reached over to open the glove compartment. He tossed her a small package of donuts.

"You need to eat something. You have to keep your energy up." He said.

Hera gave a small grateful smile in reply.

…

Ezra woke himself up with a harsh coughing fit. He doubled over with the strength of the coughs, his eyes burning and gasping for breath between each one.

Finally they began to settle down and he was able to breath without too much difficulty. He sat up carefully, looking about his temporary shelter.

He reluctantly pushed himself off the bed. His muscles ached in protest at the movement. He needed to get going, to try and find a way to get help and finally-his heart quickened at the thought-find a way home.

He first looted the cabinets in the search for something edible. He managed to find a bag of trail mix that was stale, but otherwise just fine. He devoured half the bag hungrily, then pocketed the remains, then set off.

Once outside he paused. He followed his gut instinct and set off in the direction it told him. He had been following his instincts for almost eight years and it had yet to fail him; why stop listening now?

He had been traveling for almost an hour when he heard a voice in a distance. Panic spiked his pulse. It must be Solomon! He must have followed him.

He set off at a run. His legs trembled and felt like they would give out from underneath him. He gulped air , but even that wasn't enough to stop the tight feeling in his chest.

The voices eventually faded, but still Ezra continued to run. He had to get away, he could allow himself to be caught, he couldn't allow Solomon to…..

Ezra didn't notice the ravine until it was too late. Suddenly he was off the ground and in the air. He tumbled headfirst down the steep slope, hands scrambling for something, anything to slow his descent. But nothing came to his grip.

Then Ezra hit the bottom, his head exploded in pain, and he knew no more.

…..

Kanan heard the talkie crackle to life. He unhooked it from his belt. He switched it on.

"Kanan Jarrus here."

"Anything on your end?" Ahsoka's voice cut through the static.

"No, not even a clue." Kanan looked up into his surroundings. Trees stretched out as far as he could see in all directions.

"Alright. Kanan, I think we might have…" Ahsoka was cut off as another voice joined the line.

"This is officer Tua. I and officer Aresko have just discovered someone out here. We are currently in pursuit of a young boy that fits the description of the victim."

Ezra! Kanan felt his heart lift with hope. But then something occurred to him. He spoke frantically into the talkie.

"He's frightened. Don't chase him. Give me your position and just stay close enough to keep him in sight. I'll be there as fast as I can."

As soon as he knew their position Kanan was running. He twisted through the trees and leaping over brambles in a desperate attempt to reach his boy.

He had almost reached their location when his talkie returned back to life.

"Boy is down. Repeat, he is down. Call in EMS, he may be injured!"

Kanan didn't even bother to stop and reply. His speed increased as this time fear-raw, genuine fear- flooded his veins and hurried his steps.

He was in such a rush he almost fell down into the ravine itself. He stopped at the very edge of it, toes barely sticking out over it.

Down at the bottom of it-almost a five foot fall-was Tua and another officer. Both were tending to a small figure on the ground.

 _Ezra._

Kanan slid down the slope, landing in a crouch just a few short feet away from the others. He hurried forward and dropped to his knees. He didn't even pay attention to the fact he had pushed one of the officers away to do so. Ezra was the only thing in his sights now.

"Kid?" He felt the boy's cheek, hardly daring to breath. The child was so cold to the touch. Blood smeared his temple. With his white skin, he looked like he was…..

No… Kanan dropped his head to the boy's chest, praying for a miracle. _Something…Anything…_

 _Thump…..thump…..thump….._

His heart beat strongly underneath Kanan's ear, loud and strong and _alive._

Kanan breathed out a soft prayer of thankfulness. He carefully scooped Ezra up, cradling him against his shoulder. The boy's damp hair tickled the man's neck.

"There's a blanket in my backpack." Kanan said as he adjusted his grip on Ezra. Wordlessly Tua unzipped the pack Kanan still wore, helping him to wrap it around the boy. Once he was bundled into the soft flannel, Kanan stood.

"Let's go."

It was a struggle getting the unconscious Ezra out of the ravine. The one officer had to climb out of the steep incline. He lifted the boy out, while Kanan and Tua handed him up from underneath. Once they were out Kanan took his charge back. And silently they began their long trek back to the farmhouse.

Kanan guessed that it was almost ten in the morning by the time they arrived. The ambulance was already there, the paramedics waiting with the stretcher already prepared.

"Ezra!" Hera was running full speed in their direction, someone on her heels. Kanan didn't even bother to see who her companion was, instead adjusting the boy in his arms so his wife could see his face.

Once she was at his side she pushed back the blanket to reveal Ezra's face, stark white against the dark fabric. She gasped softly, resting her head against the teen's own.

"My poor boy." She whispered.

By now the paramedics had reached them with the stretcher. Reluctantly Hera stepped back so Kanan could lay Ezra down upon it. Kanan smoothed back the hair from the child's face, just as a shadow fell over them both. He straightened and looked fully in the face of the newcomer. He almost staggered back in shock when he saw who it was.

"You?" He managed to gasp out.

Hera yanked on his arm, grabbing his attention. They had already started to wheel Ezra away. He recovered enough from his shock to turn his back on Cham and jogged off after them, Hera on his heels.

"Why is he here?" He hissed out of the corner of his mouth at her.

"Blame Zeb." Was her answer.

Ahsoka was waiting by the ambulance as Ezra was being loaded up. She held out a hand to Kanan. Assuming that she was wanting back the talkie, he unclipped it and dropped it into her outstretched hand. Instead to his surprise she shook her head.

"Give me your car keys. One of my officers can drive it there for you." She smiled at their faces.

"Ezra needs you right now. _Both_ of you."

Hera gripped her hand. "Thank you." She handed Ahsoka the car keys, then scrambled into the ambulance after Kanan.

"Hera." She had already sat down by the stretcher when she heard her name. She turned and looked at her father. Cham met her eyes and spoke.

"I'll meet you down there."

Hera watched him for a moment longer, then nodded. She didn't really want him there, but she knew that she couldn't deny her father his right. She knew where her stubborn streak had come from, and nothing short of a restraint would stop him now that he was involved.

Then the paramedic shut the door.

* * *

A/N Next chapter we will start patching things together, because as you all can see, there are still a few plot holes that need to be tied up. Anyhow, I have doubts about this chapter, so if you see any mistakes, please let me know so I can correct it.


	10. Forgiveness and Home

_A/N: This was originally a much longer chapter, but as I am still working on the latter half of it I decided I would post them as two separate chapters. Not a lot happens in this one, but I hope you guys enjoy it._

* * *

 _Darkness surrounded him. Its inky tendrils reached out for him, trying to enfold him into their cold embrace. He tried to flee, but something held him down. He tried to struggle against the invisible grip that kept him in place._

 _The shadows crept closer. They whispered to him, offering him false promises and peace._

 _They formed into a familiar shape. Ezra felt terror build up in his chest._

 _Solomon reached for him. Ezra couldn't escape. He would be caught. He struggled against his invisible bonds. Solomon opened his mouth….._

 _Beep…beep….beep…._

 _The darkness cowered back at the sound and fled._ Noise, soft whispers reached Ezra's ears. A gentle touch, as caring and soft as a feather, brushed across his arm. Ezra struggled to open his sleep-laden eyes. A subconscious hiss left his lips at the struggle. He heard more noise, but couldn't comprehend what it was.

Finally he forced his sticky eyes open. He stared up at the blurry shapes surrounding him. How many were there? Two, three? One of them was saying something to him, he was sure. He tried to blink and clear his vision.

"Mom?" His voice was raspy and painful in his throat. He didn't understand what was going on. He wanted his parents. Mom and dad would know what to do. They could help him with this.

He felt a hand on his head, running through his hair and brushing his scalp. Someone hushed him. A voice spoke.

"It's over young one. Rest kid."

Some part of Ezra's mind recognized this wasn't his parents, but something about the voice put Ezra at ease. He felt that the owner of this voice could be trusted, that he was safe. He knew that as long as they were around, nothing would touch him.

He allowed himself to drift off once again into the darkness, which now seemed friendly and inviting to him. As just before he fell back into slumber, a light went off. He exhaled a name underneath his breath.

"Kanan."

…

Hera sat by the hospital bed, watching the rise and fall of the boy's chest as he slept peacefully. Sometimes she would stroke his hand, just to prove to herself that Ezra was actually here, that he was back within arm's reach.

It had been almost two hours since Ezra had been admitted to the hospital. An examination by the doctor had confirmed that, yes, Ezra had a concussion, along with several cracked ribs, a significant drop in weight. He had also developed a mild cold, but nothing too serious. They had been assured that Ezra would be kept overnight to monitor his vitals, and if all continued to improve, he should be released by the next evening.

Once they knew that Ezra was out of danger Hera had forced Kanan to go home and rest for a few hours, then return to the hospital with the other kids so Sabine and Zeb could see that Ezra was safe with their own eyes.

She heard the hospital door open. The sound of footsteps approached from behind her, stopping right behind her chair. Hera didn't bother to look away from Ezra's peaceful face as she addressed the newcomer.

"You certainly took your time." Her tone was bitter; she couldn't help it. She blamed it on exhaustion.

Cham moved so he was beside her. His hand entered her vision, holding a plastic coffee mug.

"Thought you might need something. From what Zeb told me, you must be worn out." His voice was gentle.

She took the coffee without a word, simply nodding in thanks. Together Cham and Hera waited in silence, sipping at their individual cups of coffee. Finally Cham murmured,

"So this is Ezra." Hera finally pulled her gaze away from her boy to look up at him. Her father was watching the sleeping youth, his expression unreadable.

"Yes." She said simply. She looked back at Ezra. The youth looked so small and fragile against the white sheets of the hospital bed. His face was gaunt and pale, dark hair spread out across the pillow. She stroked his arm again.

"How is he doing? The nurse wasn't too willing to give me an update."

"Not great." She admitted. "But none of its life-threatening. The doctor said that if he continues to improve overnight, that he might be able to come home tomorrow."

"That's good." They stood in silence, both of them nursing their drinks. Finally Cham sighed, laying a hand on her shoulder. It took most of Hera's willpower not to flinch at his touch.

"Hera, I am so sorry for everything. I was a very foolish man back then. You were trying to live your own life, and I shouldn't have tried to force my career on you. I should have known it would backfire." He added with a wistful smile.

"You are just as stubborn and independent as your mother was."

"You're right, you shouldn't have." Hera forced herself to look up at him. She knew that she was being harsh, but it was hard not to be bitter.

"I know that becoming an officer was important to you, but I don't feel like that life was meant for me. I want to make a difference, but not the way you chose for me. I had to find my own path, my own way."

"I know." Cham said softly.

"And I apologize for that. When I talked to Zeb, I saw that you are doing what's right. You and Kanan have made a difference in the lives of these three teens. I see now that I was wrong." He knelt by her and took her hand into his own.

"Hera, if you give me another chance, I will be a changed man. I will do my best to step back and keep my mouth shut if needed. Just please, allow me to be a part of your life and the lives of my grandchildren."

Hera looked at his pleading face. She closed her eyes. After a moment she sighed, opened them. She squeezed his hand.

"How can I refuse the request of an old man?" She said teasingly.

Cham visibly relaxed. He stood, pulling in into a gentle embrace.

"I am proud of you, Hera Syndulla." He said into her ear. She smiled into his shoulder. Briefly she wondered if she should correct him on the last name.

Then quite suddenly Cham stiffened.

"Hera." The tone was enough to make Hera pull out of her father's arms and whip around, just in time to see Ezra beginning to stir. She held her breath, hardly daring to breath. Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears.

Ezra's eyelids fluttered. After several more moments he finally succeeded in opening them fully. His head turned, weakly.

"Hera?" His voice was hoarse, cracked.

Hera hardly noticed nor paid attention to her father leaving the room to give them privacy. Instead she gave a half-laugh, half-sob as she leaned forward to gather him into her embrace.

Ezra was frozen. Surely this wasn't really happening. It was too good to be true. Surely he wasn't here with Hera. Any moment he would wake up and would still be in the grasp of Solomon. It wasn't possible that he was _safe._

Finally his mind took in that this was real, that this wasn't a dream. He wrapped his arms around her, hiding his face in her shoulder as his lithe body trembled with his unrepressed sobs. He gripped her shirt tightly between his pale fingers.

Hera simply held him closer, rocking him and kissing his head as she let out her own silent cries.

"It's alright," She murmured, resting her cheek against his hair. He curled up closer into her warmth. He closed his eyes tightly to keep more tears from pouring out.

"You're safe, I'm here." Hera whispered.

"You're home."

* * *

Next chapter we will finally start wrapping up the loose ends. I know that you guys had some questions that I know haven't been answered yet. There are three questions in particular you guys have asked me about: Where is Ezra's grandmother? How did Solomon manage to kidnap Ezra? And why did he want Ezra after all this time? Next time you will finally found out the answers to all these and more. The next chapter might be a little slow in coming, so please bear with me.


	11. Ezra's Story

**Whoops. First of all, sorry for not updating sooner. My summer has been crazy. I am also moving back on campus later this week, so I am having to get everything ready for college. But the good news is, I have already finished the next chapter! So I will update this chapter, then later this week I will be able to(hopefully) upload the other one!  
**

 **Thank you all for the comments you guys have left. As of now this story has over two hundred reviews, and I have read everything single one. It's awesome reading what you all think! I could never address everyone on here personally, but you guys really do inspire me to do better. As I see your reactions to the story, it lets me know whether I am going the right direction with this.  
**

 **Starlight Moon Midnight; You were so close! Not exactly the plot, but honestly your idea was so good that I am kinda jealous that I didn't think of it first.  
**

 **Midnight Luna; I hope you're feeling better. I know there are days that things can get tough. But hang in there.**

 **Nesina Yei; Stories like that drive me nuts. Don't worry, I don't see myself writing anything like that anytime soon.**

Boots clip-clopped on the white tile floor as Ahsoka walked down the hallway. She was still dressed in her police uniform, a clipboard in hand. She didn't bother to stop at the front desk, as earlier Kanan had texted her the room number.

The door to the room was wide open. Before she had even reached it Ahsoka could hear the laughter floating out into the hallway, something rarely heard in a hospital. She felt the corners of her lip twitch upward at the sound. She stopped just on the inside of the doorframe. She didn't bother to announce her arrival. Instead she watched the scene in front of her.

Ezra's bed had been raised to a partially upright position. As of that moment the boy was wide awake, and chuckling at something Zeb had said. Kanan was sitting in a chair pulled up at the bedside. Hera stood behind her husband, arms thrown around his shoulders Sabine was perched on the edge of the bed, a messenger bag hanging from her grasp, and was rolling her eyes at her older brother's comment.

Just then Kanan looked up to see the officer standing in the door frame. His smile dimmed slightly, but his gaze was still friendly and open.

"Hello Ahsoka. Come on in."

All eyes in the room turned toward her as she took up Kanan's invitation. She gave them each a friendly grin and a nod in greeting. She stopped by the bed. She met the gaze of the boy occupying it. Already he looked much better than he had earlier. Color had returned to his complexion and his hair had been brushed into a somewhat semblance of order.

"Hello Ezra. How're you feeling?"

"Better." He eyed her suspiciously. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ahsoka. I was one of the officers assigned to your case. I am sorry we had to meet in such circumstances. Hera has told me so much about you." She chuckled at his suspicious look. "Don't worry, it was all good things."

She held up her clipboard and stopped her sigh before it escaped her lips. No matter how many times she had to do this, it never got easier. The fact that she also knew this family also made it more difficult.

"I am here to get your statement if you're feeling up to it."

"Now wait a moment," Kanan started to rise. His wife pushed him back down into his seat. Still, she couldn't stop him from talking.

"Isn't it too early for this? Couldn't we wait until later?"

Ahsoka glanced at him. "It's better for us to get this done was soon as possible. The sooner we get Ezra's story, the sooner we can get to work gathering evidence and prosecuting Solomon for his crimes." She turned back to Ezra. Her voice was gentle was she addressed him.

"But no, we don't have to do this now. I cannot force you to do this. It's up to you Ezra. If you don't want to, just say the word and I'll leave."

Ezra stared up at Ahsoka for several long moments, blue orbs wide. He nodded, albeit hesitantly.

"Good boy. If you want, they all can stay while we talk, alright?"

Ezra's head bobbed up and down enthusiastically. "Yes please," He said, voice a little bit stronger.

"Okay then." Ahsoka adjusted her clipboard. She pulled a pen out of her breast pocket. Kanan leaned forward in his seat, while Hera went to sit beside Ezra on the thin mattress. When Ezra's tired and nervous gaze met her own,she smiled assuredly. She laid her hand over his own in a small gesture of comfort.

"Just start when you want to. I won't force you." Ahsoka promised. She tried to keep her voice friendly, doing her best to keep the boy at ease.

"Okay…um," Ezra struggled to find a way to begin.

"That night, when he, you know….I had went downstairs to get something to drink. Everybody else was in bed, so I was the only one up. I heard scratching at the kitchen door. I thought that it was Chopper, since sometimes when Zeb gets mad he'll lock him out…"

Hera raised an eyebrow at the guilty male, who shrugged helplessly. "….But when I opened it, it was Solomon trying to break into the house.

"I think I surprised him. We sorta just stood there staring at each other for a bit. Then I tried to call for Kanan, but he knocked me out. When I woke up I was tied up in the back of a car.

"When he stopped, Solomon dragged me out and into his house. He first tried to lock me in a bedroom upstairs, but when I tried to escape through the window he decided it wasn't secure enough and put me in the basement." He stopped talking. The tightening of the skin around his eyes and the clutching of the sheets in his white-knuckled grip showed his discomfort.

Hera was reaching to hold and comfort him when he seemed to shake himself and continue, with only the slightest tremor in his voice giving him away.

"He left me down there all the time. But he would bring me food a couple of times a day, so he wasn't too bad. Or at least, not at first.

"But then one day he came down with fresh clothes, said that we were going somewhere and that I needed to get cleaned up. I told him no, that I wouldn't go unless he was taking me back home. He then said that I was home. When I fought him he kicked me. Said that I was just as bad as my father, and that I would listen if I knew what was good for me. After that he left me alone.

"Things just got worse after that. He tried threatening me into doing whatever he wanted me to do. He actually tried starving me a few times. When neither one of those worked he tried using other tactics. He hit me a few times…."

Ezra continued to tell of his experiences, from his call to Kanan to finding his escape through the vents. Throughout this whole time, his family reacted to each experience, from anger to horror. Kanan was frowning, but inwardly he was proud of Ezra. The boy had refused to give in to his captor, despite the threats and the fear he must have felt. There were adults twice his age who wouldn't have had the courage to do what he had done.

Ahsoka was taking notes as the boy continued his tale. Occasionally a dark look crossed her face at some of what the boy said. But almost instantly she would wipe the expression from her features, smiling encouragingly at the youth when he faltered or stumbled over his words.

Once they were done Ahsoka moved closer. She ruffled the boy's hair gently, being careful of the slight bump from his impact with the ground.

"Thank you, Ezra. I know that it's not easy to talk about it."

He ducked out of her hand, his face flushed from being the center of attention.

"It's not a big deal. The sooner we're done the sooner it's over the sooner we get it over with, right?" He tried to flash her one of his infamous grins, but it was clearly forced. His fingers twitched nervously against the white sheets.

She patted his shoulder. "Well, you're in luck then. We're done for now. You can focus on getting better, alright?" She smiled at his almost imperceptible nod. She then looked up at Kanan and Hera.

"Is it alright if I speak to you both outside?"

"Of course." Kanan stood. "Zeb, you and Sabine stay here with Ezra, okay?" If he could take a guess, this was something that Ahsoka would prefer to speak to them alone about. He might be wrong, but it wouldn't hurt leaving all the kids in here, just in case. Besides, Ezra needed the companionship.

"Alright." Sabine slid into the bed beside the younger boy. "I brought some of my art pens and my notebook." She held up her bag. " And I have some new ideas for a painting. Wanna look at some of the sketches for it?"

"Sure." And just like that, his sullenness faded away and his nerves seemed to settle, with only contentment being left behind.

Once they were out of the room Ahsoka turned to them both. She pulled another sheet of paper from her clipboard.

"So my team spent this morning investigating and…we may have found the reason behind Ezra's kidnapping." She took a brief moment to rub at her face. Looking at her, Kanan realized that she had not had hardly any rest since this had all started. Her drawn gaze and sluggish movements gave her away. He couldn't help the gratefulness of having such a faithful friend, along with guilt that she had worked through her own personal exhaustion to bring this about.

"We were doing research on this 'grandmother' that your Ezra had spoken about," Ahsoka continued. "Apparently, Solomon had lied about her; she passed away almost two months ago."

"But why?" Hera asked. Her face reflected the surprise in Kanan's own. "What does that have to do with Ezra's kidnapping?"

Ahsoka crossed her arms. "Well, she seemed to have a change of heart. Just a few weeks before her death she had legally recreated her will. As of right now, Ezra has an inheritance of over half a million dollars.

Kanan was sure his jaw hit the floor. He at first thought that she was surely joking, but one look at her solemn face and he realized that she was serious.

"And that's not all. Solomon has also been involved in more than one case of human trafficking." The officer's eyes flashed in anger.

"From what we can figure, Solomon was going to use Ezra to claim the money, then pawn him off to the highest bidder. Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak."

Kanan clenched his jaw in anger. Hot fiery anger burned in his chest. That little…He had almost torn apart their family and was willing to destroy the life of his own nephew. Solomon truly had no limits. He didn't realize that his hands were clasped into fists until Hera gripped his wrists. It was then he noticed the pain in his palms, from where his nails were starting to break skin. He forced himself to relax and breathe deeply, trying to ease the tight muscles in his chest.

Ahsoka waited patiently for Kanan to compose himself. Once he had managed to do so she continued.

"That's what that paper you're holding is. Since Ezra is not of legal age, as his guardians you are the holders of his inheritance.

"It's up to you what happens to the money."

Kanan glanced beside him at Hera. She smiled as she met his eyes. She seemed to read what he was thinking and nodded. She was the one who addressed Ahsoka.

"We'll create a bank account. We'll put the money away for Ezra until he is older. Then we'll let him decide what he wishes to do with it."

Ahsoka's face softened, ever so slightly. "Ezra is lucky to have you." She said. Then she glanced at her wristwatch.

"I need to go finish the paperwork and file Ezra's statement. Once we have everything together, we will contact you about pressing charges on Solomon. With everything that he has done, along with all the evidence we have collected, you can rest assure that he will be put away for a very long time."

Once they had said their goodbyes and Ahsoka had left, Hera turned to her husband, something akin to a smirk gracing her face.

"Well, shall we head back into the lion's den?"

In answer, Kanan stepped back. He gave a half bow and gestured toward the door. "After you, Milady."

With a laugh, Hera entered the room, her head raised high. He followed her inside to find Ezra laughing as Zeb held a pencil bag over his head, with Sabine vainly trying to reclaim it. A stern look from Hera forced him to give it back. With a huff, Sabine sat back down with Ezra, and the both of them went back to sketching. The banter continued to flow between the trio.

("Your hair looks like a rat's nest." "Shut it, kid, yours isn't much better.")

As Kanan sat down on his other side, Ezra looked up at him with a smile. He returned it, draping an arm over the slender frame of the younger. The man looked around at his family, now whole with their youngest finally back. A family that wasn't forged by blood, but instead created by choice. They were each dysfunctional, each one from a life of suffering and loneliness. But yet they had still chosen to love each other, struggling to give all they got into their little piece of love. Broken, yet whole. Hurt, yet blessed.

And at the moment, Kanan couldn't imagine anything more perfect.


	12. Opening Up and Moving Forward

Ezra plodded down the hallway toward the kitchen, feet dragging on the floor with sleep. He tried to smooth down his disheveled bed head and stifled his yawn. It was about 5:30 in the morning and as far as he knew he was the only one up at this hour. Or so he thought.

Instead, he was surprised to walk into the kitchen to find Kanan already sitting at the table, sipping from a mug of coffee. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Ezra enter.

"Well, good morning. Not used to seeing you up this early."

Ezra gave a small shrug, too tired to even respond vocally. He headed for the cabinets just above the sink. He fumbled blindly for a bowl.

Once he had fixed himself some cereal, he headed over to the table and plopped himself down just across from Kanan. He didn't immediately dig in. He simply stirred his spoon around his bowl, watching the flakes swirl around in the mini whirlpool of milk.

Kanan watched the boy. He could see the way the boy's head drooped with exhaustion, how it threatened to hit the table top.

They had all noticed Ezra's lack of sleep the past few days since he had returned home. But he had never voiced his struggles to any of them, and it had become an unspoken agreement among them to let him approach them when he wanted to last thing they wanted was to make him feel cornered after everything he had been through.

But now, Kanan was wondering if it was time for an intervention. Both he and his spouse had discussed the possibility of a therapist to help Ezra with the recent traumas. But the youth had insisted he was alright when they brought the idea before him. Nothing that they could say could change his mind. Eventually, they had given up forcing him. But despite his refusal, it had become apparent that the boy needed help. The question was how.

He hadn't realized he was staring until Ezra shifted, uncomfortable underneath his guardians' gaze. Once Kanan had comprehended that he was the reason for his discomfort he shifted his gaze down to his coffee. His drink had cooled considerably in the short amount of time. He got up to reheat it.

As he drummed his fingers on the microwave top, he addressed the boy still sitting behind him.

"So what has you up at this time?" He heard a soft grunt as his answer.

"Just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. Nothing is wrong with that, is there?" Ezra acted as though he was on the defensive. The man rushed to reassure him.

"No, there isn't. I was just curious. You aren't normally up at this time." And it was true. While Ezra was up earlier than most of them, he normally didn't wake until about eight or so.

The microwave dinged. Kanan removed his mug carefully and returned back to his seat.

They both sat in silence, Kanan drinking and Ezra eating his breakfast. Finally, Ezra slurped the last of the milk from his bowl. He pushed it to the side. His face was drawn, his forehead a collection of worry wrinkles.

"Kanan, can I talk to you about something?" There was something in the boy's voice that gave Kanan pause. He sat his mug to the side. He leaned forward and let the boy know that he had his full attention.

"Anything kid. What's on your mind?"

Ezra didn't meet his eyes. The boy traced his finger across the tabletop, his hair falling to hide his face from view.

"When I was in the hospital, I was thinking. You might find it stupid, but….do you ever regret me?" He blurted out. Immediately he cringed after the words left his mouth, as though dreading the answer. Yet he continued to explain at Kanan's apparent confusion.

"Do you ever think that it was a mistake taking me in?"

Kanan's mouth dropped open, but no sound escaped. What, why would the kid think that? Then he mentally kicked himself for not seeing this coming. He and Hera had dealt with the same thing with both Zeb and Sabine, so it only came to reason that Ezra would struggle with something similar.

"No, of course not. What makes you think that we would ever even consider that?" He kept his voice gentle, but firm enough to let him know that he expected an answer.

Ezra's shoulders rose up and down. His gaze was riveted to the tabletop.

"I guess it's just, well…I've been a lot of trouble since you guys took me in. First, you had to deal with Solomon, and then I repaid you by running away and landing in a hospital. Then you spent a lot of time teaching me since I was behind and couldn't go to public school. Now you had to search for me and have to work on charging Solomon. And I can't understand why. Not that I'm not grateful," he added hastily. "It's just that most people would have kicked me to the curb already."

The boy's face flushed, but still raised his head and met Kanan's gaze. His bright eyes were afraid, but a steely look was contained within them. He was prepared, Kanan realized, ready for the possible hurt that would come with the truth.

And it made Kanan's heart clench at the realization. Not just because he understood what the youth was feeling, but because he knew why. Hard to feel like you're worth anything when you've been kicked like a dog or scavenging for scraps while people turn their heads in the other direction.

"Hey, that's what family is for, to help each other up." He said. He laid his hand over Ezra's on the tabletop, stilling the twitching fingers. He felt the small digits twitch as though on reflex.

"Don't you think we would do the same for Zeb and Sabine?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"No buts," Kanan cut him off. "You're no less important to us than they are. Don't ever lower your self-worth like that."

Ezra looked unconvinced. Kanan sighed. He leaned into his seat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Kid, I know it's hard for you to see it." He waited until Ezra finally raised his gaze up to him before continuing.

"You've had a lot happen to you in your short life. You've been, quite simply, treated like an object more than a person. You've been told you would never be good enough…."-Ezra visibly winced at that-"…and that no one would ever stand up for you."

"But you have to understand one thing; they brought you down because they weren't enough. They wanted to feel as though they were more, so they hurt you to make themselves feel higher. Someone had taught them that was how you make yourself stronger. But they were wrong. You become more by knowing where you stand, you grow by respecting the lives of others, no matter whether you agree or not. You rise higher by making yourself better, instead of staying the same. And that's what you do. You work hard to learn, you try to help us out if you can. You are _more_ than them because you _try_.

"Ezra, you are worth _everything_. Don't ever let anyone tell you that otherwise."

All was still for a few more moments. Then Ezra finally raised his head to look up at the man.

"Thanks, Kanan." He could see it in the child's eyes, that Ezra didn't completely believe his words. But that was alright. Maybe just knowing that Kanan believed in him would be enough for now. And maybe with time, Ezra will one day be able to see his own value in himself.

But for now, Kanan would settle for this. He would settle for acceptance.

"Come on kid." Kanan stood from the table. Ezra copied his movement, though a puzzled look covered his expression.

"What are we doing?"

"Well, you are going to bed." Kanan held up a hand when Ezra went to protest. "Don't argue with me mister. I know that you haven't had much sleep since you've been home." His tone left no brook for argument.

Ezra huffed in annoyance. "Fine." He turned away toward the door. But as he did Kanan noticed how the boy wrapped his arms around himself. He had seen the motion enough times during the past few months to know what it meant. Ezra was feeling nervous and insecure but wasn't sure (or too ashamed) how to admit what was wrong.

"Kid." Ezra glanced over his shoulder at him. "What is it?"

Ezra's shoulders slumped. He knew what his adoptive parent was talking about. "I can't hide anything from you, can I?" He said softly. He took a deep breath, then blew it out.

"Alright, this is going to sound really dumb…"

"I promise I won't judge."

"Okay…." Ezra struggled to find a beginning. "….you know how, He, got to me when everyone else was asleep?"

"Yesss…" Kanan already had an idea where Ezra was heading with this.

"Well, when everyone's asleep, I'm…afraid that he'll come back for me. I know it's stupid since he's in jail and all, but I just can't get it out of my head." He winced at his own words. He hugged himself tighter and turned away, waiting for Kanan's reply. Heard Kanan's steps and he came to stand by him.

"Oh, kid." He felt Kanan's hand, large and strong, on his head. His dark hair was ruffled affectionately.

"Thank you for telling me. For opening up to me this morning. I know that it's not easy for you to talk about it."

Surprised, Ezra raised his head to look at him. Kanan smiled down at the upturned face. He lightly flicked the bridge of the boy's wide nose.

"And don't worry, we're going to get through this, together."

For the first time that morning, Ezra grinned from ear to ear. He wrapped his arms around his waist, his fingers clutching the back of his shirt "Thanks, Kanan."

Kanan draped his arm across the thin shoulders. He squeezed the youth into a one armed hug.

"No problem kid." He nodded toward the doorway.

"Now let's go make ourselves comfortable. We can talk about it and, if you want, we can discuss some ways we can get through this." And so, Ezra followed him.

The next morning it was Sabine who became the first to find them. They were both curled up on the couch, Ezra leaning against Kanan's side as he finally slept peacefully for the first time in days.

Kanan rested against the arm of the couch, both of his arms draped around the slender frame. He grinned when he saw Sabine. He held a finger up to his lips, effectively silencing her remarks. Then he glanced back down at the boy. His expression softened, ever so slightly. He brushed back some loose strands that had fallen down into the serene face.

Even lost in his dream world, Ezra felt the touch. And in his slumber, he smiled.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed. Now, I have that I am curious about. If you could be friends with anyone off SWR, who would it be and why? Leave your answer in a review and I will tell you mine on the next chapter update. I will also total up the scores and see which character get the most supporters.


	13. Christmas Peace

Howdy everyone. So sorry for not updating. Man, sophomore status isn't all its cracked up to be!

So, last time I asked you guys who your favorite character on Rebels is. And the winner is...'drum roll'...SABINE! Ezra was second, and Hera and Chopper were both tied for third. **_SABINE FANS, REJOICE!_**

My personal favorite character on Rebels would be Kanan, simply because he is just so loyal. Think about it; season one he sacrifices himself so the crew could escape. In season two he was blinded by Maul, with a lightsaber, _in pain,_ and his first reaction is to 'Go get Ezra.' Lets be honest, who would not want a friend like that? :p

 **IMPORTANT;** something has just been brought to my attention. On Wattpad, there is a author...who has actually stolen one of my short stories from my series Simple Moments. And sadly, I am completely serious. It is not just similar to mine. I got online and found it just last night. There it was, almost word for word. They only cut out a couple of sentences if you read it(though it did not help to disguise this). Not only that, the chapter following is by another fanfic author on this site, who I am in the process of trying to find since I do not know their username, nor the name of the story. And both of these chapters were posted on Wattpad just within the last month or so. Both of these stories are much older than that. I am not angry as much as hurt by this, for both me and the other author. I don't want to publicly offer the username, but if you want to know message me and I will tell you. I don't want anyone else to have this happen to them.

 **ALSO IMPORTANT;** this is the final chapter of Never let Go. I wish I could do more with this, but sadly with school it has become close to impossible. Even I do not think that this chapter is as good as it could have been. But I just want to say thank you all. You guys are just so, so amazing. Your support absolutely astounds me. Thank you all, and may the Lord bless you. And just remember throughout the remainder of this year; you all are awesome people. Whenever life gets you down, I hope that you will find your peace within the storm. Just do your best to remember your worth.

* * *

"Just a bit higher….bit more….No Zeb! To the right, almost there…I got it!"

Finally Ezra got the stand of the star over the very tip of the tree. He pumped his fist triumphantly in the air.

"Yes, it's on!" He carefully slid off Zeb's shoulders as his older brother crouched to the ground. The younger stood back and examined the decorated tree with a grin.

"It looks perfect."

"Well, almost perfect." Sabine corrected. She slapped her hands together and rubbed them eagerly. "Come on dad, hurry up and plug up the lights."

Kanan was standing beside the tree itself. He turned his head and rubbed his beard, as though considering the question. "Well, I don't know. I think that it looks just fine this way…"

"Kanaann…" "Dad!" Both Sabine and Ezra moaned at the same time. Zeb rolled his eyes and muttered something underneath his breath about 'annoying kids.' Hera just laughed.

"Love, I think it might be best if you turn them on. Any longer and I think that they might burst with impatience."

"Ew." Kanan pulled a face of disgust. "I'd rather not clean that up, thank you very much." He smirked at the looks his youngest two sent him.

"Alright, alright! On three….two…..two and a half…..two and three quarters…."

"Kanan!"

Kanan chuckled. "Alright, for real this time. On three…two….one!" He plugged them in.

The multi-colored lights flicked on all over the tree. Its beams were bright, framing the ornaments hanging off the branches, and causing the icicles to glitter in an almost iridescent quality.

They all clapped when they came on. Ezra's eyes were wide at the sight. This was the first time in years that he had seen a Christmas tree up close. He had seen them through the windows of other homes, but nothing could beat being right up next to one. And he was amazed to think he had helped to decorate it. The last time he had….

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. Man, he missed his mom and dad so much at times like these. If he could only see them one more time, hug their necks. Introduce them to Kanan and Hera and let his parents know that he was okay, that he was being taken care of now. That though he missed them, he understood why they had done what they did. And because of what they had done, he had someone, a friend, a person he was proud to call his sister today.

A hand touched his arm. He tore his eyes away from the tree to Hera's own matching green eyes. It was obvious by her face-her gentle, loving expression-that she knew what he was thinking.

"Are you alright, hun?" She asked, low enough not to be heard over the chatter of the others. Slowly, he nodded, a small grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Yes, maybe his mom and dad were gone, but at least he was with people who cared for him.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He thought of something and gestured toward the door. "Come on, we need to finish getting ready. It won't be long until everyone gets here."

"Last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg!" A blur shot past them and out of the living room. Laughing, Ezra took off after Sabine. Hera hollered after them to 'stop running in the house. Fine, fall and break your necks. Their yours not mine!" Kanan laughed, but made sure to back her up with his own shout.

"Listen to your mother, both of you!" The both rolled their eyes, but then laughed as they followed the 'kids' into the kitchen.

* * *

"No way Zare, you didn't!" Ezra playfully shoved his friend farther into the couch. Zare just laughed.

"I'm serious! You should've seen the kitchen after that. Needless to say, my mom wasn't too thrilled when she got back."

"I'd say." Ezra grinned. "Hera would've killed me if I set off a rocket in the house. She can be super nice, but when she sets down rules you better follow them. A few weeks ago Sabine had Ketsu over to work on a school project…."

Sitting the lounge chair opposite of them, Sabine groaned and buried her face into her hands. Ketsu from beside her laughed.

"I know. Little brothers for you, right?" She winked. "But wait'll until he brings his first girlfriend home. Then you'll get your payback."

"Girlfriend?" Ezra had heard her. Now he wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Ew. I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life, thank you."

"You liar! What was that girl that you met at the home-school club? Eve, right? So help me, you turn red every time you looked at her and you stuttered when she asked you…"

"Zare? Shut up."

They laughed at Ezra's face, now burning bright red. Fortunately for the boy Hera distracted them.

"Well guys, look who just showed up." She stepped away from the doorway. Someone followed her in, their arms filled with packages and wrapped boxes.

"Grandfather!" Sabine jumped from her seat to run over and embrace the man. He laughed, awkwardly shifting the balance of his gifts to pat her back.

"Merry Christmas 'Bine. Here, can you help me with these?"

Once his arms were free, Cham turned to Ezra. He smiled and spread his arms wide.

"Well, hello there my boy."

Ezra smiled. He stood and approached his grandfather. He held out his hand to shake, only to be pulled into an embrace instead. As his face was pressed into the man's chest he felt his hair being ruffled affectionately.

"So how have things been?"

"They've been good." Ezra was finally released from the hug. His face burned as he heard Zare and Ketsu snicker behind him. Apparently Cham noticed his embarrassment too, as he was clearly trying to suppress a smile.

As this exchange was going on, Hera joined the other adults, who were standing by the tree talking. As she stood by the tree she saw Anakin was laughing at something had said, slapping his shoulder in a brotherly way. Kanan chuckled as well, trying to conceal the wince as he tried to discreetly rub the now tender area.

Ahsoka, standing beside her brother, sighed and rubbed her forehead. She smiled as she saw Hera approached and rolled her eyes.

"Anakin's telling one of his stories again. If I hear any of them one more time, I'm afraid that I might be sick."

"Oh come on!" Anakin slung his arms over her slender shoulders. "Admit it, you just love these stories." He then smirked as an idea occurred to him.

"I know, how about I tell them about the when you were seven and you decided to use Dad's old philosophy book and use it for…"

"I'm sure they don't want to hear about that." She shoved his arm off her. "And if you don't quit, as soon as we get home I'm telling Padme that you were the one that gave Leia the pie the other day when she wasn't supposed to have any sweets."

"Alright!" Anakin threw his hands in the air. "I'll do whatever you ask, just please don't tell her about that."

"Now that's more like it." Now it was Ahsoka wearing the smirk. With the way she and Anakin were acting, one would have thought that they were siblings from birth. But Hera knew that they weren't related by blood. Obi-wan, their father, had adopted Anakin when he was about eight, before taking in the then five year old Ahsoka six years later. Despite the age gap, and the lack of blood relation, the two had managed to grow close and had remained so through the years.

On and on the evening went. The house was filled with laughter as everyone chatted. Snacks were eaten, games were played, and jokes were exchanged.

Then it was time to exchange gifts. Kanan, playfully dawning a Santa hat, elected himself to be the one to pass out the gifts.

"Ezra." The boy himself, sitting on the floor with Sabine and sorting in her new paint kit, looked up. His blue eyes widened in surprise at the package that Kanan was holding out to him. The when the youth didn't imeddianlty take it Kanan's smile dimmed. He now looked concerned instead.

"Kid, you okay?"

Ezra seemed to snap out of his daze. He smiled and scoffed as he took the gift. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" He turned back to the box. He ripped back the paper. Surprise covered his face as it was revealed.

"Alright!" He held it up. It was an old helmet. Unlike most old war helmets, it was white, with blue stripes.

"That came from Rex." Ahsoka said from her place upon the love-seat. A can of soda dangled from her fingertips.

"It belonged to him when he was younger. He thought that it might be something Ezra would enjoy." She nudged Anakin from next to her when he pulled her red curls teasingly.

Ezra fondled the helmet. He lifted it up, carefully lowering it over on his head. It was slightly large on him, threatening to fall forward into his eyes. Still his smile was bright enough to light up the entire room.

"This is awesome! Remind me to thank him when he gets back from his trip." As of now Rex, who was Ahsoka's cousin, was in Canada visiting his brothers.

It was almost an hour later when all the gifts were exchanged. Once the wrapping paper had been cleared from the floor and dumped into garbage bags, Sabine pulled out her keyboard and started to play christmas hymns.

They were almost at the chorus of 'Silent Night' when Kanan felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked down at the face of the blue-eyed teen beside him.

Ezra fidgeted when Kanan's gaze dropped upon him. He lowered his eyes. He dropped something into the man's hand.

"This is for you guys."

Hera, sitting on Kanan's other side, leaned in as her husband unwrapped the small gift. Both smiled at what was uncovered.

It was a picture frame. Inside was a small piece of paper and attached to it were cutouts of different photos. There was one of Sabine and Ezra, the elder with an arm thrown around the boy's shoulders as they laughed. There was one of Zeb, tinkering with a motorcycle. And there was one of Hera and Kanan, the woman leaning into his chest as they both smiled at the camera.

And in the center of it all was a photo of all of them together. Kanan recognized it as the one taken at Sabine's birthday a few months before. Sabine had jumped onto Zeb's back, arms around his neck as they laughed. Hera was beside Kanan with her arm around his waist and the other linked with Zeb's arm. And Ezra stood in front of Kanan, smiling brightly with one of the man's arms draped across his shoulders.

On impulse Kanan wrapped his arm around Ezra and embraced him tightly.

"I love you kid."

Ezra curled up into his side and rested his head on Kanan's shoulder. And Kanan heard the small voice echo back his small sentiment.

Hera leaned on Kanan's other side. He wrapped his arm around her and rested his head on her own, Ezra's gift still sitting in his lap. Together the three of the watched the others. They laughed as Sabine nudged off Ketsu as she tried to mess up her playing. Hera smiled as she watched her father and Zeb, teasing and slapping each others' back. They watched Ahsoka and Anakin get into a verbal match (Ahsoka won).

And for the first time in a long while, everything was at peace.


End file.
